Iran questions US will to revive the nuclear deal

Iran yesterday questioned the United States’ will to reaching an agreement to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement, citing unresolved differences; after a year of talks.

“We really don’t know if we’ll get a deal or not, because the United States hasn’t shown the necessary will to reach an agreement,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

“What remains are the decisions of Washington,” he added.

“If we reach a good agreement, we will of course go to Vienna tomorrow,” he said.

The nuclear deal allowed for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Tehran in return for severe restrictions on its nuclear programme.

READ: Iran MPs set conditions for reviving 2015 nuclear deal amid stalled talks

However, in 2018, the United States withdrew from the deal and re-imposed harsh sanctions. In response, Tehran reduced its compliance with the deal.

The current US administration headed by Joe Biden has expressed its intention to return to the agreement on the condition that Iran returns to its obligations, while Tehran has called for the lifting of sanctions imposed on it first.

In recent weeks, negotiations appeared to be making progress, and some negotiators have gone so far as to announce an imminent agreement.

“More than one issue is remaining between us and the United States,” Khatibzadeh said.

Among the key sticking points is Tehran’s demand to delist the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, from a US terror list.