Washington must return to the nuclear deal and lift the sanctions, there is no other way, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabia said on Tuesday.
Earlier, the American publication Politico reported that the administration of the American President Joe Biden plans to put forward a new proposal to the Iranian side this week regarding the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA). The publication indicated that the new proposal in question provides for the suspension by Iran of some types of nuclear activities, such as work on improved centrifuges and uranium enrichment up to 20%, in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions by Washington.
“Every day, the delay associated with the lifting of sanctions against Iran, not only lowers the chances of restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the first and last way to resolve the differences, but also alienates them (the violators of the deal – ed.) from the prospect of a better relationship with Iran”, – the information portal of the government quotes Rabia.
According to him, the United States “has no other rational way but to return to the nuclear deal and completely lift the sanctions”.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Iran must demonstrate its willingness to cooperate in the nuclear deal, “the ball is on Tehran’s side”. As Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali told RIA Novosti, this position contradicts logic and Washington should be the first to return to the JCPOA.
The Joint Comprehensive Action Plan, concluded in 2015 by the Six (Great Britain, Germany, China, Russia, USA, France) and Iran, envisaging the lifting of sanctions in exchange for limiting Iran’s nuclear program as a guarantor of Tehran’s non-receipt of nuclear weapons, did not last even three years. In May 2018, the United States announced a unilateral withdrawal from it and the restoration of tough sanctions against Tehran.
Iran in 2019 – exactly one year after the US withdrawn from the deal – announced a phased reduction of its obligations under the agreement, abandoning restrictions in nuclear research, centrifuges, and the level of uranium enrichment. At the end of 2020, a law entered into force in Iran obliging to start production of highly enriched uranium (from 20%), start using more powerful centrifuges that go beyond the provisions of the deal, and abandon expanded IAEA checks if Tehran is unable to freely trade oil and carry out financial operations.