During this week’s talks in Vienna, the US has been negotiating with Iran what sanctions the Biden administration is willing to lift to restore the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.
Since the Trump administration withdrew the deal in 2018, the US has imposed an enormous number of sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Some were nuclear-related, while other sanctions were implemented over claims of terrorism and alleged human rights abuses.
A senior State Department official told reporters on Wednesday that the US has broken down the sanctions into three categories. The first category is nuclear-related sanctions the US is willing to lift. The second is sanctions the US will not lift. And the third category is sanctions the US is not sure if it will lift, which the official called “difficult cases.” The official said the US told Iran that it needs to review all of the sanctions in the third category.
The Trump administration intentionally ramped up its sanction campaign in its final days to make it harder for President Biden to return to the deal. “The Trump administration deliberately and avowedly imposed sanctions by invoking labels — terrorism labels and other labels even though it was done purely for the purpose of preventing or hindering a return to the — compliance with the JCPOA,” the official said.
Since the Biden administration is not willing to lift all the sanctions that were imposed since 2018, it appears Trump’s strategy is working. The State Department official insisted that while progress is being made, there is still a long way to go.
“We’re not near the conclusion of these negotiations. The outcome is still uncertain,” the official said. “The talks have been business-like, productive, but with still many differences that would need to be overcome.”
The US claims the talks are slow because the process is complex. But if the Biden administration was serious about reviving the deal, it could lift all Trump-era sanctions, which is the quickest way to get Iran to bring its civilian nuclear program within limits set by the JCPOA.
Despite the US’s stubbornness, Iranian officials have been speaking positively of the talks. On Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said about “60 to 70 percent” of the issues have been resolved and that he expects a deal to be reached in “little time.”
This article discusses mainly the US perspective. The Iranian perspective is simple. All sanctions must be lifted followed by a period of verification before Iran returns to JCPOA. Obviously Iran has been bitten before and no longer trust the US or the E3. And Yes neither the US nor the E3 condemned the sabotage at Natanz which shows their thinking.
“followed by a period of verification”
Especially that.
There has been a “period of verification”since Iran signed the NPT in 1968 (ratified 1970).
The “period of verification” being referred to is about Iran verifying that the sanctions have been indeed lifted before they return to the JCPOA.
It sounds like Iran simply does not believe the US bargaining position.
This is a dance macabre where the plan is to fail. Each side is posturing to not appear to be the cause of the breakdown.
But, how interesting, openly giving way on group #1, confirming for all the world to see that WMD was just another phoney pretext intended only to fool us suckers.
We have more to lose by coming back to the “deal’ than Iran. Our actions are for hegemony, not equity.
Iran shouldn’t trust the Americans, not even when guaranteed by the three E3 stooges. The UNSC needs to be involved.
“Since the Biden administration is not willing to lift all the sanctions that were imposed since 2018, it appears Trump’s strategy is working.”
That’s because this is one of the few issues both sides agree on. Does anyone think the democrats weren’t secretly cheering on Trump’s maximum pressure campaign?
I am a progressive. However, I have to agree with your statement. I would call Biden center right, as was Obama.
I really believe the animus toward Obama by the GOP was driven by jealousy. Obama was a more efficient conservative.
When Nina Turner made her “plate of sh*t” remark, I doubled over with laughter and agreement.
Biden ain’t no progressive, and is running his show exactly like the 40+ year politician he is. He talks out of both sides of his mouth.
How about ALL sanctions lifted.
On everyone.
Biden has achieved what he wanted. Talk about talks and “analyzing” sanctions. From now on — it is Iran that is being difficult.
The only objective of talks is to get Iran to switch alliance from China and Russia, and then talk sanctions.
As this is unlikely, after a proper preparation, more charges will be levied at Iran.
Biden would consider doing something only if it helped in weakening Russia and China. Or better put — weaken Russia at all costs, as China would then come around to our way of thinking. So the theory goes. Apparently, this administration is loaded with people who hate Russia. With faces twisted by hate. It may not be a bad idea to have some sort of test for all appointees at that level to determine if they have particular hatred or allegiance to foreign governments. Better to find out who has emotional instability caused by personal passions. And avoid this crazy dance into nuclear war.
There is something going on which the MSM is not talking about.
1. A powerful explosion rocked the Tomer factory which manufactures advanced weapons. It is supposed to be an experiment gone wrong according to Israeli sources. But according to other sources it was more likely sabotage.
2. Early on Thursday morning, the media also reported that a missile had landed near the regime’s nuclear facility in Dimona. Israel claimed it was a surface to air missile that Syria used to target an aircraft but missed and landed near Dimona. Only issue with this cover up is a) the raid on Syria occurred 14 minutes after the missile struck and b) SAM’s cannot travel the distance that this one did.
It seems that this Apartheid Regime will not last 25 years as Khamenei predicted.
In 1974, I believe, Moshe Dayan said that if ten years hence, Israel is still an occupier, then the Israel ideal is gone.
The reality is the Americans can`t be trusted , end sanctions today , re enstate them tomorrow , they have hundreds of years of broken promises and broken treaties behind them with no let up. , you trust the Americans at your peril.