Iran Nuclear Talks at Standstill; IRGC Terrorist Label Seen as Obstacle

Deal essentially final, but will it ever be signed?

The past six weeks of the Vienna nuclear talks on Iran have followed the recent trend of nothing being accomplished. It’s actually deeper than that, as there have been practically no talks in that time, and everything is at a standstill.

After all that time, there is growing doubt that the talks are going to resume at all, or lead to a deal. That’s a pity since the 27-page agreement is essentially written, with just some minor issues.

The one sticking point is Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remaining on the US list of terrorist organizations. The US would only remove them for concessions, and neither side is budging an inch. Though the EU says it’s not the only issue, it does seem to be the one that neither side is making a move on.

That’s where things stand, with both sides likely to blame the other’s intransigence, even if a deal could easily still be made. The will to make the deal happen seems lacking on all sides.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.