US Sees EU Draft on JCPOA Revival as Best Proposal 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the European Union’s draft agreement on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, saying it is “a best proposal based on many, many months of discussions, negotiations, conversations.”
He said the proposal is very consistent with the one the EU put forward in March and was agreed upon almost completely. 
“So we remain prepared to move forward on the basis of what’s all been agreed. It is still unclear whether Iran is prepared to do that,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 10th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. 
Tehran said despite agreement on more than 95% of terms in the March draft, there were small shortcomings with regard to Iran’s continued economic benefits which needed to be addressed.
The 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, promised sanctions relief to Tehran in return for curbs on its nuclear program, but the US pulled out four years ago and reimposed tough sanctions that prompted Tehran to scale down its commitments.
Negotiations began in April 2021 in Vienna, Austria, to work out how both sides could resume compliance, but the talks reached an impasse in March over a few outstanding differences. 
The EU coordinator of the JCPOA, Josep Borrell has now put forward and shared with all parties a text that he says could address all essential elements. 
After expert review and assessment, Iran has expressed readiness for further talks on the details in Vienna between delegations of Iran, the P4+1 and the US, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
“It is important for us that our red lines are given due consideration in the potential agreement ahead,” he said. 
He said an agreement would not be out of reach if the US adopts a realistic approach and shows enough flexibility in the forthcoming talks. 

Fair Deal 

The US, along with Britain and France, also issued a joint statement on the importance of the NPT, where they reiterated their commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran denies pursuing.  
“We regret that, despite intense diplomatic efforts, Iran has yet to seize the opportunity to restore full implementation of the [JCPOA],” the statement read. 
They urged Iran to return to full compliance with the JCPOA and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 which endorsed it. 
Tehran places the onus on the US to make the political decision to lift all its sanctions and guarantee its continued adherence to the deal. 
Germany also expressed concern about Iran’s expansion of its nuclear activity, which came as part of its countermeasures against the US “maximum pressure”. 
In a statement at the NPT conference, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged Iran to accept the package aimed at restoring the JCPOA. 
“A fair deal is on the table. We should seize this opportunity as long as this is still possible,” she said. 
China, another JCPOA signatory, called it a critical juncture, saying all concerned parties should stay committed to the direction of dialogue and negotiation and step up diplomatic efforts to strive for consensus on outstanding issues.
“The US, as the one who started the Iranian nuclear crisis, should fully rectify its erroneous policy of ‘maximum pressure’ and respond positively to Iran’s legitimate and reasonable demands, which will help to enable the negotiations to produce results at an early date,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference on Monday.