US Accepts Iran Nuclear Deal 'EU Mediation Proposal'... Possible Agreement if Iran Agrees

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] The United States has accepted the European Union's (EU) mediation proposal in the talks to restore the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), and Russia stated that if Iran also agrees, a resolution could be reached.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's representative to the nuclear negotiations, told TASS on the 14th (local time), "The mediation proposal is not simply the EU's idea; it reflects the views of the parties involved in the nuclear talks," adding, "EU coordinators have been facilitating compromises among the parties."

He continued, "The United States has clearly agreed to it, but Iran has not yet decided its position on the mediation proposal," and said, "It is unknown what internal issues exist within Iran."

Ulyanov added, "If discussions proceed well, an agreement could be reached as early as next week, but if this mediation proposal is rejected, it will become difficult to predict the future prospects of the nuclear negotiations."

So far, the EU has been mediating by proposing a compromise plan to restore the stalled Iran nuclear deal.

The parties to the nuclear deal (Iran, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, Germany) resumed talks in Vienna, Austria on the 4th after a five-month hiatus and produced a final mediation proposal.

Currently, each country's delegation has returned home and is conducting internal discussions on whether to accept the mediation proposal.

Since negotiations began in April last year, Iran and the United States have been at odds over the issue of removing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation. The 2015 nuclear deal included provisions for the United States to lift economic sanctions in exchange for Iran freezing or reducing its nuclear program.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Iran. In response, Iran has limited inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), increased uranium enrichment levels, and moved closer to developing nuclear weapons.

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