US sees 'potential' nuclear deal with Iran | world

On Thursday (06/24/2021), the United States government confirmed that a “possible” agreement with Iran to resume the international nuclear agreement is, although it acknowledged the existence of notable “differences” with Tehran.

Iran and the five major powers (Germany, China, France, the United Kingdom and Russia) have been negotiating in Vienna since the beginning of April for the United States, which is indirectly participating in the talks, to return to the agreement and Tehran to comply with it. That’s all.

“An agreement is still possible,” a State Department official said in a telephone conversation with reporters at the conclusion of the latest round of talks.

But he cautioned that “the process will not be open forever.”

The US official acknowledged that there were “differences” and added that if they were not “resolved in the near future”, Washington would have to rethink its approach.

Sixth round of talks

Sunday’s talks, which ended the sixth round of contacts that began on June 12, were the first after hardline conservative Ebrahim Raisi was elected last Friday as president of the Islamic Republic.

The official said Raisi’s arrival in Washington as Iran’s new president does not affect his “determination to try to reach a deal.”

The 2015 nuclear deal set limits and constraints on Iran’s civilian nuclear program to prevent it from developing atomic bombs, in exchange for Tehran receiving economic benefits from the lifting of international sanctions.

The departure of the United States in 2018 and the imposition of sanctions on Iran during the presidency of Donald Trump (2017-2021) was a blow to the agreement to which Tehran responded by violating the agreement related to the production and purity of sensitive nuclear materials, such as enriched uranium.

The new president of the United States, Democrat Joe Biden, who came to power in January of this year, wants to return to the agreement, but first demands that Iran fulfill all its obligations, while demanding that Tehran lift sanctions in advance.

GC (EFE, Reuters)