Iran Says Biden Does Not Have Unlimited Time to Return to Nuclear Deal

The Biden administration has not yet made contact with Iran

About a week into Joe Biden’s presidency, Iran still has not heard from the new administration regarding plans to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA. On Tuesday, an Iranian government spokesman warned the Biden administration that it does not have an unlimited amount of time to salvage the agreement.

“The US will not have all the time in the world,” spokesman Ali Rabiei said. “We are waiting for the official announcement of their stance as well as the lifting of sanctions.”

Rabiei also mentioned a deadline set by a law passed by Iran’s parliament in the wake of the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the Iranian scientist who was killed in an apparent Israeli plot. Rabiei said if Iran does not receive sanctions relief by February 19th, Tehran will impose a “restriction” on short-notice inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog.

Biden officials have made comments about Iran, but the new administration’s official stance on the JCPOA is not yet clear. And while the Biden administration is deliberating, Iran is still under crippling economic sanctions.

President Biden has previously said he would work with Iran to return to the deal and negotiate a stricter follow-on agreement on top of it. But there are many forces at work hoping to sabotage Biden’s original plans, including regional allies like Israel. Israeli officials have been threatening military action against Iran if the JCPOA is revived.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.