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Pause in Nuclear Talks Blamed on US

Pause in Nuclear Talks Blamed on US
Pause in Nuclear Talks Blamed on US

The suspension of talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal is due to the United States’ failure to provide a response to initiatives put forward by Iran and Europe, a senior diplomat said.
“Both we and Europe and Americans know that the window of opportunity will not remain open forever,” Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a regular press briefing on Monday, ISNA reported.
Negotiations have been underway in the Austrian capital Vienna since April 2021 to restore the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which offered sanctions relief to Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
The JCPOA has been unravelling since the US pulled out in 2018 and reimposed tough sanctions on Tehran, who responded by scaling down its commitments.
Despite major progress, the Vienna talks reached an impasse over a few final differences and have been paused since March, although indirect communication continues between the two sides through Europe. 
Iran says it has delivered its proposed initiatives to the US side through the European Union coordinator of the talks, Enrique Mora, and is now awaiting its response. 
“If the US stops vacillation and makes and announces its political decision, not only there won’t be a dead end for certain, but also the remaining part of the deal can be finalized,” Khatibzadeh said. 
US envoy on Iran Robert Malley has recently described the prospects of reviving the JCPOA as “tenuous” at best, adding that that time is running out to reach an agreement.
Khatibzadeh said Iran would not react to statements by American officials that are made for their own domestic purposes. 
“Such statements are not a criterion for us, what matters for us are messages that are exchanged between us and the US through conventional channels,” he said. 
He added that Iran has put forward its initiatives through the same channels and there have been some communication, but unfortunately the US has not given the required and expected answers. 

 

 

Artificial Spotlighting 

Western media widely suggest that a main sticking point in negotiations is Iran’s demand for the removal of its Islamic Revolution Guards Corps from the list of terrorist organizations. 
The US refuses to do so, accusing Iran of seeking concessions on issues unrelated to the JCPOA, saying that in which case, Washington would want reciprocal steps.
Khatibzadeh described the reports as “symbolic and artificial spotlighting” of a subject, stressing that the Islamic Republic would not diminish the remaining obstacles to this single issue. 
“Basically, what is being negotiated between Iran and the US are issues related to Iran’s economic benefits and the removal of all components of the US maximum pressure campaign,” he said. 
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had earlier said at the World Economic Forum that what has caused the pause in the talks is the economic guarantees.
“For a return to the JCPOA, Iran’s economic and trade activities should become normal and natural … the main obstacle is that we are not convinced that we, and the people of Iran, are going to benefit fully from the economic gains of the JCPOA.”
The minister also accused Israel of “holding US foreign policy hostage” by “inflating” the significance of the IRGC terrorism listing to block the restoration of the deal and any consequent economic benefits for Iran. 
 

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