Indirect negotiations between the US and Iran that have been ongoing in Vienna to revive the nuclear deal are dragging out due to the fact that the Biden administration refuses to lift all Trump-era sanctions. On Thursday, a State Department official blamed the lack of progress on the Iranian side and said Tehran was making “unrealistic demands” for sanctions relief.
The unnamed official told reporters that a deal could be reached quickly if Iran has the political will. “If Iran makes the political decision that it genuinely wants to return to the JCPOA as the JCPOA was negotiated, then it could be done relatively quickly and implementation could be relatively swift,” the official said.
Iran has been very clear that if the US lifts sanctions imposed since the Trump administration withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, Tehran would quickly return to the nuclear limits set by the agreement. But President Biden refuses to do so, complicating the negotiations.
The Vienna talks are set to start a fourth round this Friday. The State Department official said that Tehran needs to drop its “unrealistic demands” for sanctions relief for the next round of negotiations.
“We just have to see whether the next round actually moves things forward or whether we still are faced with unrealistic demands by Iran in terms of demanding more than the JCPOA requires in terms of our sanctions relief,” the official said.
President Trump imposed an enormous number of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program but also for claims of terrorism and alleged human rights abuses. The Biden administration has been clear that it is not willing to lift all non-nuclear-related sanctions.
Some of the non-nuclear-related sanctions are detrimental to Iran’s economy. For example, sanctions on Iran’s central bank and state oil and shipping companies fall under the “terror” category.
The State Department official said the US was willing to lift sanctions that could give Iran the “economic benefits” of the JCPOA. But there are other sweeping measures that the US is reportedly unwilling to lift, such as the designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. If Biden refuses to lift the terror designation, that could be unacceptable to Iran since the sweeping designation sanctions any members of the IRGC.
The US is also making a big deal about new centrifuges that Iran has developed. It’s not clear what the US is demanding with these centrifuges, but it would be simple for Iran to disconnect them, which could be easily verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Thank you for the article. In summary: American “Diplomat:” “All we’re asking from you is to do as Saudi Arabia and Israel wish but you keep making unrealistic demands. You’re demanding your people live in peace/prosperity, eat, and have free modern health care? It’s an outrage!”
Good point. It’s not as if the citizens of the United States have free modern healthcare, and as for peace and prosperity..;..
Give Iran their money! In cash and not through some Swiss humanitarian entity!
Talk about insults. We tell Iran that we are going to release the money, but we are not going to give THEIR MONEY to them.
“Some of the non-nuclear-related sanctions are detrimental to Iran’s economy. For example, sanctions on Iran’s central bank and state oil and shipping companies fall under the “terror” category.”
And there you go. Even if we were to lift sanctions, we could re-categorize them at our whim. In the end all the sanctions could and would remain. We would claim we rejoined the deal and trot out the “state sponsor or terrorism” and their “malign behavior” in the region bullsh*t as reasons why those same sanctions remain. Give us the collective finger Iran and walk away from these farcical “negotiations”.
“The State Department official said that Tehran needs to drop its “unrealistic demands” for sanctions relief for the next round of negotiations.”_____ there is nothing unrealistic about what Iran deserves to obtain after years of suffering…Everything is realistic…!
Iran will participate in talks as long as it takes. US has left JCPOA, and is negotiating return. Iran’s stance is fair — rollback of all actions taken by both parties past the date US exited, and return to status quo ante.
Clearly, all US needs is claim that sanctions on Iran are broken into different categories. And US therefore will not lift them.
It is apparent that US wants more from Iran than nuclear control compliance. And that Iran will not agree. Iran does not have political constituency clamoring for caving to US at all costs. Iran had wealthy merchant class, leftover from Shah era, but now trade with Asia, Russia and China, has taken on mire importance. The chances of getting Iran into US fold are slim. Saudi Arabia recognizes it.
Saudis came close to war they never wanted when a series of false flags hit the Gulf, and Saudi refineries attacked. That was a wake up call — Saudi Arabia cannot fight a war with Iran.
All the strident rhetoric was to appease US and avoid entanglements,
But the policy nearly backfired, and now everyone is taking advantage of Vienna show to establish new normal — no conflict with Iran. Saudis are paying the price for it — US is withdrawing Patriot missile defense. . Reminds me of same situation when Turkey requested Patriot defenses, US brought three installations — to be manned by Dutch, German and US crews. Turkey was not allowed to purchase them nor even be trained in the use. When US withdrew Patriots, Turkey purchased Russian S-400.
ME is reshaping. And it is in everyones interest to keep region stable. So talks should go on, and on, and preferably longer.
But Yemen war so far is a stalemate of interests. US brought UAE and US private military — and they are sitting in the South Yemen – controlling Straits. Saudis want Sanaa to say Yemen is one country, Hadi is the president, and UAE should not support secessionist, Sanaa will not do that — wants North Yemen back independent.
Saudis are mad at UAE betrayal, and in danger of losing freedom of navigation from Red Sea to Indian Ocean. Just as it is constrained by UAE coming out of Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia is in weak position — cannot lush claim of one Yemen and Hadi is the president. Breaking up Yemen would give UAE, supported by US — control of BOTH straits.
Getting better relations with Iran would help avoid navigation fears out if Persian Gulf.
As far as Bab Al Mandeb — no solution in sight.
It may go on awhile, but at some point the talks could fail.
Iran could just test a bomb. They are being “forced into that corner,” as they themselves expressed it.
Furthermore, that constant antagonizing of China, on each and every red line, could cause China to assist Iran in the same ways its assisted Pakistan to get the bomb. It happened once before.
Yes, thought about it. All possible alternate outcomes, The reason I do not believe that at present this is the plan. Yes, in the past, the idea of providing military nuclear capabilities to other nations as a way to undermine hegemonic designs — appeared logical.
I am leaning now towards idea that it is not a viable or prudent strategy,
The more nuclear weapons proliferate — the harder it will be to structure a more safe global world consensus.
What Russia and China are advocating is a global security that is INDIVISIBLE, that is — every country in the world should be entitled to security. That means prohibiting military interference in any country. Second, they have defined principles of non-interference in domestic affairs, based on the respect for diversity. Differences in social, cultural, ideological, religious, racial,, or political institutions must be respected with nobody having the right to change them. Countries must obey international law, treaties and conventions they signed, etc. No arbitrary rules imposed by any contry.
In the light of the strategic direction they are embracing — there are two key global factors. One Russia and China are strategic partners —- not military alliance like NATO, not a clique of nations, but global leaders. Second factor — trust. Trust is expected of any nation that would subscribe to security being indivisible. First, trust that Russia and China would be capable to UNDERWRITE this security.
Here is the key dilemma. US is challenging anyone’s right to PRIMACY in global relations, and anyone’s right to challenge US military DOMINATION, These two principles are spelled out in all relevant military documents — it matters little what Biden says.
So, if Russia and China can demonstrate that their interests and interests of those that trust them can be protected — no need for any proliferation of nuclear weapons.
If the going gets tough, proliferation will mire likely occur within highly trusted partners. This qualifies Iran. Pakistan is getting now much tighter involved into Russia-China strategy. Countries being vetted are Turkey and Egypt. Saudis want nuclear energy to save marketable oil and gas.
Somehow I do not think it is in the cards yet. Reason? China has very little in the way of nuclear weapons. We keep on saying that China is gearing up its nuclear deterrent. But I think that Russia and China have a deal — Russia has more them enough, and has to defend its Pacific coast anyway. It appears they are both working on defense capabilities last reviewed by Putin in 2018.
It will make zero sense for Russia and China to waste their money and efforts duplicating R&D, testing, manufacturing.
And for the same reasons I believe that any country partnering with them will have the need to over invest in military.
All of this is a long term process. But I am 99% sure that military technological and scientific collaboration between the two is very high. Russia may be attracting all fury for its military transparency, and China may be getting all the ire of commercial interests. But the technology and science marches on in the background.
All in all — makes me wonder if Iran’s nukes are desirable at present?
The unrealistic position is the US position by Blinken.
He thinks he can keep what Trump did to Iran, and still get back from Iran what Obama got from them. That is totally unrealistic.
Actually, the US will need to make up for its bad faith and broken promises. Repairing a treaty takes more than just the first making of it, on the part of the one that tore it up.
Any agreement with the US can easerly be broken by the US simply the Americans can`t be trusted , the only countries Iran can trust are Russia / China all the other countries will do as the US tells them to do as they did with Trumps sanctions .
Funny how these “unrealistic demands” only appeared after the Mossad chief & co. paid a visit last week.
When you’re cocking back with a hammer, every preferred strike appears as a nail.