Robert Malley, the United States Special Representative for Iran, has recently held talks with officials from Britain, France, and Germany under the name of pursuing coordination among the allies for dealing with Iran and the nuclear, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but in fact the move has not been in line with giving a chance to diplomacy, because it seems that Washington is seeking to reconstruct the lost confidence following the Trump administration’s decisions in international arena and the United States’ scandalous pull-out from Afghanistan. Some analysts opine that the US wants to show off unity with European states.
Meanwhile, Iranian top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani has conducted consultations with Russian, Chinese, and European authorities before the resumption of talks in Vienna, Austria, on revival of the JCPOA and lifting of nuclear-related sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said that Bagheri Kani is holding successful talks in Europe and that Tehran is after reaching a good consensus in Vienna; the return of all sides to their commitments under the nuclear agreement is very important and critical.
The FM wrote on his Instagram account on Friday that the Islamic Republic will enter the negotiations while pursuing a practical and result-oriented strategy, which requires effective and verifiable removal of anti-Iran sanctions.
Kamala Harris, the vice president of the United States, said in a press briefing in Paris that President Biden has pursued a clear stance on the JCPOA and that the US is seeking to return to the deal and waiting for negotiations. Washington hopes that the talks would be constructive, she added.
Edward Price, the spokesperson for the United States Department of State, claimed that the White House wants a constructive interaction in Vienna talks, noting that American authorities believe mutual return to the JCPOA is the most effective path to this goal.
Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor of the United States, said in an interview with CNN that the US was ready to come back to the negotiating table, claiming that Washington would return to the JCPOA if Iran abided by its commitments under the deal.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh responded that the US is not a signatory to the JCPOA so it cannot demand signatories to the deal to do what it wants, adding that Washington is better to comply with its commitments under the agreement.
Sina Azodi, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, told IRNA that given the facts on the ground and Americans’ history of withdrawing from international accords, Iran’s three preconditions are logic.
Shireen Tahmaaseb Hunter, an independent scholar, also told IRNA that negotiation for the sake of negotiation would not bear any fruit and that every negotiation should end up in a result.