US Urges Iran to Resume Negotiations 'Soon'

Iran

August 6th, 4:33am

Asharq Al-Awsat

President Ebrahim Raisi, right, takes his oath as president, as Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi listens in a ceremony at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 5, 2021. AP

The United States on Thursday urged Iran to return to talks quickly on reviving a nuclear deal after President Ebrahim Raisi said he would seek a diplomatic way to end sanctions. "We urge Iran to return to the negotiations soon," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. "If President Raisi is genuine in his determination to see the sanctions lifted, well that is precisely what's on the table in Vienna," he said. "Our message to President Raisi is the same as our message to his predecessors .. the US will defend and advance our national security interests and those of our partners. We hope that Iran seizes the opportunity now to advance diplomatic solutions," Price said. He was referring to months of fruitless indirect talks in the Austrian capital on reviving the 2015 nuclear accord trashed by former president Donald Trump. Price reiterated that the Biden administration, despite concerns with Iran, saw the accord - formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - as key to securing "permanent and verifiable limits on Iran's nuclear program." Price said that the proposal to end sweeping sanctions in return for compliance with the deal would not last "indefinitely." "For us, this is an urgent priority, knowing the issues that are at play," Price said. "We hope that the Iranians treat it with the same degree of urgency."

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3117796/us-urges-iran-resume-negotiations-soon