The Biden government is moving forward with measures to rejoin the nuclear deal with Iran, with officials set to participate in high-level discussions with the signatories of the 2015 Joint Global Action Plan (JCPOA) in Vienna next week.
The United States and Iran are unlikely to meet face to face, although government officials have said they remain open for direct talks.
The Vienna meeting marks the most advanced move for Biden’s team, which will engage with European, Russian and Chinese counterparts on steps the United States can take to achieve a “mutual return” for both America and Iran.
The meeting is expected to attract intense scrutiny from the Capitol, where hundreds of lawmakers have signed a handful of letters to the president and secretary of state Antony Blinken
Antony BlinkenKerry says the United States hopes to be able to work with China on the climate. Blinken repeals Trump Biden sanctions against ICC officials makes first phone call with Ukrainian President MORE about his concerns about involvement with Iran.
The Chamber’s Foreign Affairs Committee led by the president Gregory Meeks
Gregory Weldon Meeks Iran’s negotiations establish a delicate dance for Biden’s team. (DN.Y.), tweeted support to the meeting.
“This is an important step, albeit a preliminary one. A tough and smart diplomacy in close coordination with our European allies and regional partners is the best way to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to restore full JCPOA compliance, ”he said.
President biden
Joe BidenLawmakers say fixing the border crisis is Biden’s job Trump asks Republicans to boycott companies amid the controversial White House electoral law: The Republican Party ‘fought to articulate a reason’ to oppose the infrastructure plan MORE made the resumption of the agreement a priority foreign policy for his government. He named Robert Malley as a U.S. special envoy to Iran, a key member of the negotiating team that brokered the 2015 deal.
The deal, negotiated during the Obama administration while Biden was vice president, imposed significant, but temporary, limits on Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for easing US and international sanctions.
Critics argue that it did not go far enough to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and did not address a series of evil activities by the Islamic Republic, including its ballistic missile programs, support for proxy-fighting forces across the Middle East, support for terrorism and human rights abuses.
“The United States must not once again abandon the influence that is bringing Iran back to the negotiating table without confronting Iran’s nuclear and non-nuclear activities that need to be stopped,” 140 House Republicans wrote in a letter to President Biden in February, opposing a return to JCPOA.
The former Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iran when it withdrew from the deal in May 2018, and added a number of other punitive measures as part of a “maximum pressure campaign” aimed at forcing Tehran to negotiate a stronger deal.
Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, but nuclear observers say the Islamic Republic must be just a few months away from building a bomb. Iran began increasing its uranium enrichment in 2019, breaking the terms of the JCPOA in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the then Trump administration.
Biden’s team and Iran are in a “who goes first” puzzle over the demands of each side.
The United States is concerned about Iran’s uranium enrichment by up to 20%, well above the deal’s 3.67% limit. Uranium is considered an armament grade when enriched by approximately 90 percent.
Biden’s team asked Iran to reverse its uranium enrichment before sanctions are eased. Tehran calls this a non-starter.
The Vienna meeting will seek to establish a roadmap of measures that both sides can take to bring them back to compliance with the agreement, including the identification of “suspension of sanctions and nuclear implementation measures”, according to a statement released Friday. fair by the signatories of the JCPOA – China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and Iran.
State Department chief deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter said in a briefing with reporters that the United States would not envisage lifting any specific sanctions, but that sanctions relief measures will be discussed during the meeting.
“We are going to talk about the nuclear measures that Iran would need to take to return to compliance with the JCPOA terms and, we are not going to provide for any specific sanctions, but we will definitely say what sanction relief measures the US would need to take to return to that compliance too, we will be under discussion, ”she said.
Naysan Rafati, Iran’s senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said Washington and Tehran are in agreement on the return to JCPOA, but that the road to mutual compliance will not be an easy one.
“Discussions are likely to encounter challenges in terms of scope and sequencing on the nuclear relief and sanctions fronts, as well as skepticism in Washington and Tehran,” he said.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers have sought to close the gap in their disagreements over the usefulness of the JCPOA as part of efforts to promote a united front in its opposition to Iran’s alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon and destabilizing actions in the region.
Last month, 40 senators on both sides of the corridor signed a letter to the president calling for the use of all diplomatic and economic tools to prevent Iran from developing the ability to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“Iran should have no doubts about the policy of the United States. Democrats and Republicans may have tactical differences, but we are united in preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon and addressing the wide range of Iranian illicit behavior. We look forward to working with you to achieve these goals, ”wrote the senators.
Likewise, a bipartisan letter signed by 140 members of the House asked to address the threat of an Iran with nuclear weapons and its other worrisome actions.
“As Democrats and Republicans across the political spectrum, we are united to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon and to address the wide range of Iranian illicit behavior,” they wrote.
Lawmakers are also concerned about easing sanctions for Iran, without significant verification that he has taken steps to bring himself back into compliance with the JCPOA.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded affirmatively when asked by Rep. Brad Sherman
Bradley (Brad) James Sherman Iran’s negotiations establish a delicate dance for Biden’s team. Biden can take advantage of Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq Bipartisan resolution supports Iranian public amid pressure from Biden to rejoin nuclear deal MORE (D-Calif.) During a hearing last month that the US would not make any concessions to arrange a meeting with Iran or suspend sanctions until Iran is demonstrably in full compliance with the JCPOA, or on a negotiated path to compliance total.
Rep. Michael McCaul
Michael Thomas McCaulIran’s negotiations establish a delicate dance for Biden’s team The House panel advances a bill to revoke the 2002 war warrant Hundreds of migrants found in three trucks near Mexico’s border with Guatemala MORE (R-Texas) put even more pressure on Blinken to commit to formally consulting Congress before lifting any sanctions.
“We are determined to consult about takeoff, not about landing across the board – but rather, particularly when it comes to Iran,” said Blinken.