US, UK Seek to Begin Negotiations on Iran Nuclear Deal Again
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Published
Sep 21, 2021
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Iran is expecting to restart talks with other world leaders about possibly reviving its 2015 nuclear deal.
According to the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that "the Vienna talks will resume soon and over the next few weeks."
Today, the United Kingdom Foreign Office reported that Britain and the U.S. have agreed that negotiations on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action need to resume, the Jerusalem Post reports.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said representatives from Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia will not participate in talks this week with Iran at the United Nations.
"Some years it happens, some years it doesn't happen. It's not in the agenda," said Borrell, who acts as the coordinator for the nuclear deal - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
"But the important thing is not this ministerial meeting, but the will of all parties to resume negotiations in Vienna," he said, adding that he would meet with his new Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian this week.
Since April, Iran and the world powers have tried to negotiate a way to possibly revive the nuclear pact.
"The negotiation must restart," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. "Time is playing against a potential accord. We need to take advantage of this week to restart these talks. Iran must accept to return as quickly as possible by appointing its representatives for the negotiations."
The Vienna talks were adjourned in June after Ebrahim Raisi was elected Iran's president. He took office in August.
"After the elections, the new presidency asked for the delay in order to fully take stock of the negotiations and understand better everything about this very sensitive file," Borrell said. "The summer has already passed by, and we expect that the talks can be resuming soon in Vienna."
The 2015 nuclear pact was dissolved by former President Donald Trump in 2018. Instead, Trump imposed harsh sanctions on Iran.
Photo courtsey: ©Getty Images/Oleksii Liskonih
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
