Page 9 - MEOG Week 28 2021

MEOG POLICY MEOG

Washington will not issue

ultimatums over JCPOA revival

IRAN WASHINGTON has said that it will not issue credit for economic momentum brought about
ultimatums on the deadline for a seventh round by a restored nuclear deal.
of Vienna talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal US President Joe Biden came to office in Jan-
between Iran and major powers, but added that uary pledging to pursue a return to the JCPOA,
“nuclear advances” made by the Islamic Republic which traded an end to UN and other sanctions
in the meantime could impact on the decision for checks on sensitive Iranian nuclear activities
of the US as to whether or not to rejoin the pact. to ensure they did not venture into the military
US State Department spokesman Ned Price sphere.
said that only Tehran could state when the talks That deal was abandoned by US President
will continue. Donald Trump in May 2018, in favour of reim-
“We’re not imposing a deadline on these posing heavy US sanctions in the push to secure a
talks,” Price said, “but ... we are conscious that tighter nuclear deal and other geopolitical goals.
as time proceeds Iran’s nuclear advances will The sanctions pushed Iran into a bitter reces-
have a bearing on our view of ultimately return- sion that lasted nearly three years.
ing to the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Six rounds of talks in Vienna reportedly made
(JCPOA)].” progress but yielded no final deal. Russia has said
Iran analysts are weighing up if a path to an agreement to revive the JCPOA is 90%-com-
restoring the deal might be agreed in the waning plete. But Iran has continued to step up urani-
days of the moderate Rouhani administration, or um-enrichment efforts.
if the sealing of an agreement might be delayed If it crosses a certain line with those activities,
until the hardline Raisi presidency commences the US and European powers might conceivably
in August. abandon the idea of a JCPOA restart.
The former option would give future Raisi Tehran has consistently denied it is pursuing
officials some scope for blaming the predeces- nuclear weapons, but the UN nuclear watchdog
sor administration should a relaunched JCPOA IAEA and Western intelligence have in the past
end up badly for Iran, while the latter possibility accused it of lying and obfuscating about its
would allow the Raisi government to take more objectives. ™

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