Regarding the US Proposal to Restore the Nuclear Deal... Iran Says "Sanctions Removal Comes First"

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] Iran, which is in conflict with the United States over the restoration of the nuclear deal (JCPOA·Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), repeatedly urged the lifting of sanctions without giving a definite answer to the U.S. negotiation proposal.

According to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated on Twitter on the 19th (local time), "The United States must unconditionally lift all sanctions imposed on Iran." He added, "If the U.S. lifts all sanctions imposed, re-imposed, or re-labelled by former U.S. President Donald Trump, Iran will immediately withdraw retaliatory measures."

Zarif's remarks came just one day after the U.S. expressed willingness to join negotiations for restoring the nuclear deal.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which led to hostile relations with the U.S., Iran significantly improved its relations with the U.S. by concluding the JCPOA during former President Barack Obama's administration in 2015. The JCPOA, signed between Iran and the six countries known as the P5+1?the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (U.S., UK, France, Russia, China) plus Germany?mainly limits Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting U.S. sanctions against Iran.

However, former President Donald Trump criticized the JCPOA as Obama's "diplomatic failure," unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018, and restored most of the sanctions against Iran. In response, Iran gradually reduced its compliance with the nuclear deal provisions starting in May 2019.

With the inauguration of the Joe Biden administration, which pledged to return to the nuclear deal, it was expected that the U.S. and Iran would begin negotiations to restore the JCPOA. However, both sides are engaged in a standoff, each demanding the other to fulfill obligations first.

Contrary to expectations, as the U.S. did not immediately move to restore the nuclear deal, Iran announced it would refuse inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if the parties do not fulfill their obligations by the 21st. In response, foreign ministers from the U.S., the UK, France, and Germany (the European 3 or E3) held a virtual meeting the day before and expressed concern over Iran's nuclear activities outside the JCPOA. Particularly, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "If Iran strictly complies with the nuclear deal as President Joe Biden mentioned, the U.S. will take the same measures and is ready to engage in discussions with Iran."

Subsequently, a U.S. official stated that the European Union (EU) would be invited to join the P5+1 negotiations for restoring the nuclear deal, and the U.S. would participate. However, Iran has not disclosed whether it will join the talks and maintains its position that the U.S., which broke the nuclear deal, must first lift all sanctions.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh pointed out on Twitter that "There is currently no such thing as P5+1 because the U.S. broke the agreement." He added, "Trump left the room and tried to blow it up. The gesture (toward restoring the nuclear deal) is good. But to revive the 'P5+1,' the U.S. must act first. Lift the sanctions. We will respond."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.