Time to Free Up Potential of Fully Implemented JCPOA  

It is now time for decisions to grasp the opportunity of the European Union’s initiative to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and unlock the great potential of a fully implemented agreement, the European Union foreign policy chief reported. 
“Decisions need to be taken now on the #JCPOA to seize this unique opportunity to succeed, and to free up the great potential of a fully implemented deal,” Josep Borrell said in a tweet. 
He used the abbreviation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the deal that promised sanctions relief to Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program, but was later violated by the United States. 
“The full implementation of this deal has been severely affected by [US ex-president] Donald Trump’s decision in 2018 to withdraw the US from it and to pursue a unilateral ‘maximum pressure’ campaign,” Borrell said in a blog post.  
The EU and all the remaining participants have been very clear how much they disagree with the US withdrawal and the reimposition of sanctions, he noted. 
Despite the best efforts of the remaining participants, including the European unique and voluntary scheme of INSTEX aimed at facilitating legitimate trade with Iran, the US departure dramatically reduced the expected economic benefits for Iran, which is why the deal could never develop its full potential.
This prompted Tehran to eventually adopt a set of countermeasures by exceeding the nuclear limits of the deal.
“Maximum pressure failed as the collective unity of the remaining participants kept this deal alive. It is now more important than ever to continue doing so,” Borrell said.

Proposed Text

In his capacity as JCPOA coordinator, the EU top diplomat seized the political momentum of a new US administration to launch in April 2021 a diplomatic process involving participants of the deal and the US, with the aim of facilitating a US return to the deal and full US and Iranian implementation of their commitments.
The talks, which were held in the Austrian capital Vienna, have been stalled for months over a few remaining differences. 
“After 15 months of intense, constructive negotiations in Vienna and countless interactions with the JCPOA participants and the US, I have concluded that the space for additional significant compromises has been exhausted,” Borrell said. 
Both sides now put the onus on each other to make the required political decisions to finalize an agreement. 
The top EU diplomat has now put forward a text that he says could address, in precise detail, the sanctions lifting as well as the nuclear steps needed to restore the JCPOA.
“This text represents the best possible deal that I, as facilitator of the negotiations, see as feasible,” he said.
It is not a perfect agreement, he added, but it addresses all essential elements and includes hard-won compromises by all sides.
“I see no other comprehensive or effective alternative within reach.”
Borrell warned that every day with no agreement in Vienna postpones concrete economic benefits to the Iranian people through substantial US sanctions lifting, as well as the benefits of non-proliferation for the world.
Concluding an agreement now will deliver significant economic and financial dividends as well as strengthen regional and global security, according to the EU diplomat, while rejecting it assures a loss on both accounts, “who knows for how long.”
“It is now time for swift political decisions to conclude the Vienna negotiations on the basis of my proposed text and to immediately return to a fully implemented JCPOA,” he said. 
This deal, Borrell said, would show that in turbulent times, balanced international agreements are still possible.
“It is our joint responsibility to conclude the deal.”