US Ready to Compromise in Vienna Talks

The top American negotiator in the Iranian nuclear talks said Washington is prepared to make compromises “on difficult issues” if Tehran does the same.
In a sign the US recognizes the shift of political landscape in Iran following the election of Ebrahim Raeisi as president, Robert Malley said on Wednesday he hopes the Islamic Republic returns to the negotiating table “with a realistic approach,” Bloomberg reported.
The talks—to revive the 2015 accord that limited Iran’s nuclear program in return for US sanctions relief, including on oil exports—have stalled since June. The US, European Union, Russia and other powers are waiting for Raeisi to say when diplomats can start a seventh round of negotiations in Vienna.
The US special envoy for Iran said, “We don’t know if Iran’s intent remains to come back into compliance with the JCPOA as the US comes back into compliance with the JCPOA,” referring to the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
He also said Washington is concerned Tehran could take a harder line in talks aimed at salvaging the nuclear deal, which former US president Donald Trump exited in May 2018 while reimposing tough sanctions.
Tehran has reacted by gradually decreasing its commitments under the deal and intensifying its nuclear work, including production of enriched uranium to 60% purity.
US President Joe Biden has said Washington will rejoin the accord if Tehran first returns to full compliance. Tehran says the onus is on the US to make the first move as it was the party that exited the deal.

Agreement Still Possible

Malley said the two sides could still reach an agreement for a mutual return to compliance with the accord, adding that Washington is prepared to make “difficult compromises”.
Washington and Tehran have conducted six rounds of indirect talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the deal. But the talks were put on hold amid a change of government in Iran and the coming to power of President Raeisi, who has said he would seek a diplomatic solution to end the sanctions against Iran.
“But what we’re saying is, if that remains Iran’s intent, it is our intent we should be able to negotiate in short order a mutual return to compliance in which the US would reverse those sanctions that are inconsistent with the JCPOA and Iran would reverse its nuclear steps inconsistent with the JCPOA,” Malley said.
He said the two sides had made “substantial progress” during the Vienna talks, while asserting that a tougher stance by Tehran would be a “miscalculation”.
“We made substantial progress in the six rounds of talks, but we hadn’t closed all the gaps. And if Iran comes back with a more hardline position, it’s going to be very difficult to close because we hadn’t closed before, even under the preceding government. So our hope remains that Iran will come back with a realistic position.”
Speaking earlier this month, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that “the opportunity to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA won’t last forever.”
Raeisi called for a lifting of the sanctions during his inauguration speech earlier on August 5.
“The sanctions must be lifted,” Raeisi said. “We will support any diplomatic plan that supports this goal.”