Iran’s main purpose in talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal is the removal of sanctions in a way that it can enjoy economic benefits permanently, the Iranian top negotiator said.
“Sanctions lifting and economic benefits must be lasting, not temporary,” Ali Baqeri Kani said in an interview with the Lebanese Al-Manar television station, IRNA reported.
He stressed that receiving assurances about the other sides’ continued compliance with the nuclear deal is an important redline of the Islamic Republic.
“They must give guarantees that they will adhere to their commitments,” he said.
Indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States aim to restore the 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which had curbed Tehran’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
The JCPOA unraveled when the US withdrew in 2018 and reimposed tough sanctions that prompted Iran to row back on its nuclear commitments.
Iran’s legitimate demand for guarantees that the US would not violate the deal again under a new government has been a key stumbling block in the negotiations, since the Biden administration says it is unable to bind a future president not to exit the agreement again.
The nuclear talks have been stalled for months over such final differences, although the exchange of messages continues through intermediaries.
Baqeri Kani said the negotiations are slow-moving, but the two sides still exchange their views.
“Iran has no direct contact with the US and these messages are naturally delivered through European, and sometimes non-European, mediators,” he said.
Asked about Biden’s remarks regarding the death of the JCPAO, the diplomat explained that the statement was later refuted by other American officials who spoke to the media.
“Also, the exchange of messages is still underway in practice.”
Reasonable Time Frame
Baqeri Kani later stressed that it is Washington’s duty to remove not only the sanctions that had been revoked under the JCPOA in 2015, but also new ones that were imposed by former US president Donald Trump as part of its maximum pressure campaign.
“The US has expressed readiness to return to the JCPOA and the one who does this must be ready to meet its obligations, and the US commitment involves sanctions lifting,” he said.
He did not set a deadline for the deal’s revival but stressed that the requirements of either side need to be fulfilled within a specific time frame.
“Therefore, we try to finalize an agreement within a reasonable and logical time,” he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had also recently reiterated that the window of opportunity would not be open forever and the Islamic Republic might resort to its Plan B if the JCPOA is not restored in time.
“Iran has expressed readiness that it has no restriction in finalizing an agreement, even in the short term, within a framework where its interests are ensured,” Baqeri Kani said.
Wrong Calculations
American officials have been saying in recent months that the JCPOA revival is no longer on their agenda, although Tehran describes such remarks as hypocritical, maintaining that the two sides are still exchanging views.
This shift of stance occurred following the unrest in Iran that began in September 2022 with the death of a young girl in police custody and developed into violent clashes between rioters and security forces, claiming the lives of around 200 people, according to Iranian sources.
Tehran blamed the West for provoking violence to destabilize the country so as to advance their own political agenda.
“There is no doubt about their schemes to use different tools against the Islamic Republic, including in the negotiations, since they have a history of such measures,” Baqeri Kani said.
He noted, however, that their calculations were wrong and they found themselves empty-handed when facing the realities of the country in practice.
“They had nothing at disposal to use [to win more concessions] in the negotiations,” he said.
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