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 were getting closer to ending their deadlock on the nuclear deal that former President Donald Trump had left, with Washington describing the talks as “ constructive ” and signaling the Islamic Republic that it was ready to debate the details of how the two sides struck the 2015 accord.
Jake Sullivan, United States The national security adviser told Fox News on Sunday that “the talks in Vienna have been constructive in the sense that a real effort is being made there” and that world powers have focused on restoring the agreement on the basis of “compliance for compliance.”
His comments come after Iran’s chief negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, injected fresh hope in the process on Saturday, saying that a “new understanding” was taking shape during the talks and that his country would begin work on a full draft text for negotiators to discuss. Negotiators, including the European Union, Russia and China, have said talks will continue this week.
World powers have been meeting in Vienna since April 9 to help the US and Iran find their way back to a restored nuclear accord and to ease tensions in the energetic Persian Gulf. Talks nearly broke up last week after Iran’s largest uranium enrichment plant was seriously damaged in an attack blamed on Israel.
In response, the Islamic Republic has drastically increased its uranium enrichment levels – from 20% to 60% – meaning it is closer than ever to obtaining weapon-grade fissile material. President Joe Biden sharply criticized the move, but promised to continue the talks.
Iran wants the US to lift hundreds of sanctions Trump imposed on its economy after taking office in 2017, including sanctions he restored when he broke away from the nuclear deal. Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran wants any punishments it expects the US to lift to be formally stated and agreed.
Tehran insists that the US must take these measures before Iran agrees to scale back its nuclear activity to within the original terms of the nuclear deal. On Sunday, Sullivan said the sanctions would be lifted once the US has “clarity and confidence” that the Islamic Republic will reduce its nuclear work, severely restrict enrichment and nuclear activity.
“Until we have faith in all those things that the United States isn’t going to make any concessions at all, ”he said.
The nuclear deal, which imposed strict restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, was a landmark achievement of the Obama administration. Trump’s abandonment of the accord kept relations between the long-standing enemies close to breaking point and stirred the Persian Gulf with killings, attacks on power plants and tanker seizures.
The Islamic republic began gradually increasing its nuclear activity – enriching uranium beyond the 3.67% limit allowed in the deal – in 2019 in response to Trump’s so-called “maximum pressure” strategy.
“The drafting of the text can begin now, and the Iranian delegation has prepared and presented its text on the nuclear sphere and the lifting of sanctions,” Araghchi told Iranian state television, warning that serious disagreements remain.
In a clear further sign of diminishing tension, the Financial Times reported Sunday that senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran have held talks to restore relations. The newspaper quoted three unidentified officials. The meeting in Baghdad on April 9 included discussions of recent attacks and would be followed by another round of talks next week, he said.
Reports from the meeting reflect how a major shift in U.S. policy under Biden and his intention to rejoin the original 2015 nuclear deal sent a “ clear signal ” to Saudi Arabia that it demanded to change the terms of the nuclear. agreement to extend its own rivalry and conflict with Iran over regional influence, said Joost Hiltermann, program director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis Group.
“That fact made the Saudis realize that in the beginning they would not have the kind of diplomatic protection from the US they were looking for,” he said, adding that if the nuclear deal is successfully reinstated, preliminary talks could be the way to go. pave the way for higher-level dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia on regional affairs.
Earlier this week, Araghchi said Washington and Tehran should specify the steps they should each take to reinstate the 2015 deal, including a rundown of all the Trump-era sanctions Iran says the US should lift.
– With the help of Dominic Lau
Updates with US comments and analyst quotes.