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On Monday, Washington expressed, according to an official, who preferred not to be named, that it was “ready” to meet with Iran “in case they are ready” to enter into direct nuclear negotiations, noting that time is running out and the Iranian nuclear program is close to a “penetrated investigation”. This calls for expediting the launch of these negotiations. For the first time, Tehran announced a week ago that it is open to direct negotiations with the United States, and Washington responded quickly by accepting “urgent” talks.
Time is running out for negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programAccording to statements by a US official who preferred not to be named, he was quoted by Agence France-Presse on Monday.
He called on Tehran to agree to direct talks with Washington to help seal a deal.
The official said that Iran’s nuclear program is close to a “breakthrough” towards acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities, leaving “weeks” for negotiators to reach an agreement that freezes this program and eases sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic.
“I think we have reached the point where some of the most sensitive political decisions have to be made by all parties” involved in negotiations to revive the 2015 deal between Iran and the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, he added.
“If our goal is to reach an understanding quickly (…), the best way to do that and in any negotiations is for the parties most at risk to meet directly,” the official stressed, referring to the United States and Iran.
“This was our view from the beginning: We are ready to meet with Iran if they are willing to meet us,” he said.
The official pointed out that Iran’s enrichment program is very close to producing enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon.
The official said it would be “very unfortunate” if the two sides did not hold direct talks “given the little time they have left and how sensitive (…) the decisions that need to be taken.”
On Friday, diplomats suspended their negotiations taking place a few weeks ago in Vienna, to return to their capitals.
“Political decisions must be taken now,” wrote EU coordinator Enrique Mora, who is chairing the ongoing talks at the opulent Coburg Palace in the Austrian capital.
Freezing the nuclear deal since 2018
The agreement concluded between Iran on the one hand, and Germany, China, the United States, France, Britain and Russia on the other hand, allowed the lifting of many sanctions that were imposed on Iran, in return for limiting its nuclear activities and ensuring the peace of its program.
However, its effects have been suspended since the United States unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, under its former president, Donald Trump, and re-imposed severe sanctions.
Tehran responded by gradually stepping back from most of its commitments under the deal, but the arrival of Joe Biden in the White House re-launched negotiations.
A week ago, Iran announced for the first time that it was open to direct negotiations with the United States, which quickly expressed its willingness to hold “urgent” talks.
The US official said Monday that not all of the details in a potential agreement have been resolved, adding, “But we are ready to take these options.”
FRANCE 24/AFP
