A senior diplomat from European and U.S. powers will hold talks to see how they can revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal, days ahead of a date set by Tehran that could hamper those efforts.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will host his German and British peers in Paris on Thursday, with new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken coming together via video conference, the ministry said foreign French on Wednesday.
At the same time, Iran plans to limit some inspections of UN nuclear agencies if the U.S. does not lift its sanctions – imposed since 2018 by former President Donald Trump – by February 21, under the terms of a bill passed by parliament in December.
Reflecting the difficult path ahead, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed “concern” that Iran was not failing in its commitments in telephone talks with President Hassan Rouhani, her arguments said. in a statement.
Analysts have said there is only a small window of opportunity left to salvage the landmark deal, which received a near-fatal blow when Trump walked out in 2018.
U.S. President-General Joe Biden’s administration has said they are willing to go back to the treaty and start lifting sanctions if Iran returns to full compliance, a pre-deal that Tehran disputes.
Iran is ruining more non-compliance
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi will travel to Tehran on Saturday for talks with Iranian authorities to find a solution for ongoing investigations in the country, the group said.
He warned that Tehran’s threat threat would “adversely affect the IAEA’s certification and inspection activities in the country.”
In Washington, the debating state Department of State Ned Price said Iran should provide “full and timely cooperation” with the IAEA.
“Iran should reverse the measures and stop others from influencing the IAEA’s commitments to not only the United States, not just our friends and partners in the region, but the whole world is responsible, “he said, adding that Blinken saw The” important role “for the European Union, of which France and Germany are members.
Ellie Geranmayeh, senior policy officer at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said it was “unlikely” that Thursday’s meeting would lead to a significant political or economic move to prevent Iran from proceeding with the restrictions.
“This date has been on the cards for months, and without economic relief Iranian leaders feel they are in a hurry to move forward,” she told AFP news agency.
In the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in Vienna in 2015, Iran suspended its nuclear program as a trade-off to reduce international sanctions.
But Iran has reversed its nuclear deal against the deal after U.S. sanctions were lifted as part of Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy to weaken Iran’s government.
The UN nuclear watchdog said last week that Iran had begun extracting uranium metal in a new breach of the treaty, urging European powers to warn that Tehran was “weakening the opportunity for renewed diplomacy. “
In her talks with Rouhani, Merkel said that “now is the time for positive signals that build trust and increase the chances of a diplomatic solution”.
However, Iran’s leadership said Rouhani was in the call “criticizing Europe’s performance” on its JCPOA commitments following the US withdrawal.
‘Action Only’
While Iranian policy is ultimately confirmed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s main elections in June will add another time-pressure feature.
Rouhani – a leading candidate for nuclear diplomacy with global powers – is expected to stop after serving the two largest consecutive terms, and may be replaced by a tougher figure.
“There is a short window to limit the potential damage from the next steps in Iran, for example by minimizing the impact of such moves on the quality of studies by international analysts,” he said. Geranmayeh.
She said Washington should move in political and practical terms to show Iran that the Biden administration is “distance itself from the greatest pressure in Trump’s time.”
Khamenei stressed on Wednesday that Iran wanted to see action from the U.S. administration that would help its economy.
“This time, just action, action. If we see action from the other side, we will act too, ”he said.