Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after talks in Vienna, Austria.
Photographer: Askin Kiyagan / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
Photographer: Askin Kiyagan / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
The US and Iran have come closer to ending their stance on the nuclear deal that former President Donald Trump abandoned, with Washington describing talks as ‘constructive’, and the Islamic Republic has indicated it is ready to discuss the details. about how the two parties reached the 2015 agreement.
Jake Sullivan, United States National Security Adviser told Fox News on Sunday that “the talks in Vienna were constructive in the sense that there is real effort underway” and that world powers were focused on restoring the agreement on a “compliance for compliance” – base.
His comments come after Iran’s chief negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, freshly injected hope Entered the process on Saturday by saying that a ‘new concept’ is taking shape during the talks and that his country will start working on a full draft text that negotiators can discuss. Negotiators, which include the European Union, Russia and China, said talks would continue this week.
World powers have been meeting in Vienna since April 9 to help the US and Iran chart a path back to a restored nuclear deal and reduce tensions in the energy-rich Persian Gulf. The talks were almost derailed last week after Iran’s largest uranium enrichment plant was severely damaged in an attack that blamed Israel.
In response, the Islamic Republic has dramatically increased the levels at which it enriches uranium – from 60% to 60% – which means it is closer than ever before to obtaining weapons-grade tear material. President Joe Biden sharply criticized the move, but promised to continue talks.
Iran wants the US to remove hundreds of sanctions that Trump imposed on his economy after taking office in 2017, including those he reinstated when he agreed on nuclear power. Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran wants all fines that the United States expects to remove to be formally listed and agreed upon.
Tehran urges the US to take these measures before Iran agrees to scale back its nuclear activity to within the original terms of the nuclear deal. Sullivan said on Sunday that the sanctions would be lifted once the US had “clarity and confidence” that the Islamic Republic would reduce its nuclear work, severely restrict enrichment and nuclear activity.
‘Until we have confidence in all the things that the United States will not make concessions at all, ”he said.
The nuclear deal, which imposed strict restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions easing, was a hallmark of the Obama administration’s performance. The abandonment of the agreement by Trump kept relations between the longtime enemies near the breaking point and shattered the Persian Gulf with assassinations, attacks on energy installations and seizures of tankers.
The Islamic Republic gradually increased its nuclear activity in 2019 – enriching uranium beyond the 3.67% limit allowed in the agreement – in response to Trump’s so-called “maximum pressure” strategy.
“The drafting of the text can now begin, and the Iranian delegation has prepared and presented its text on nuclear power and the lifting of sanctions,” Araghchi told Iranian state TV, warning that serious differences of opinion still exist.
In an apparent further sign of tension relief, the Financial Times reported on Sunday that senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran had held talks to restore relations. The newspaper quoted three unknown officials. The April 9 meeting in Baghdad included discussions on recent attacks and will be followed by another round of talks next week.
Reports from the meeting reflect how a major shift in US policy under Biden and his intention to rejoin the original 2015 nuclear deal sent a “clear signal” to Saudi Arabia that it was demanding the provisions of nuclear power, should be abolished to address, according to Joost Hiltermann, program director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group, its own rivalry and conflict with Iran over local influence.
“That fact made the Saudis realize that they would not have the kind of US diplomatic protection they were looking for,” he said, adding that if the nuclear deal was successfully restored, preliminary talks could pave the way for higher-level dialogue. between Iran and Saudi Arabia on local issues.
Earlier this week, Araghchi said Washington and Tehran should specify the steps each should take to restore the 2015 agreement, including a version of all Trump-era sanctions that Iran says the US will have to remove.
– With help by Dominic Lau
(Updates with US comments and quotes from analysts.)