On Wednesday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan warned time is running out on the Vienna Iran nuclear deal talks and said the deadline will come “within weeks” if an agreement isn’t reached.
Sullivan said there is “still room for a diplomatic effort,” but warned the timeframe to reach a deal is not long. He made the comments from Israel, where he met with Israeli officials and reportedly assured them the US was willing to take a harder line on Iran if necessary.
The Vienna talks are currently on pause and are set to resume on Monday, December 27th. Since the negotiations restarted, the US and its European allies have been accusing Iran of not taking the talks seriously. Meanwhile, the US has ramped up the pressure on Tehran with new sanctions and close coordination with Israel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian addressed the criticism from the European JCPOA signatories. “We do not see the position of some European countries as constructive, specifically that of France,” he said on Thursday.
“When they say they are concerned about the progress of Iran’s nuclear program, we say out loud: ‘If you want to have your concerns addressed, then all sanctions must be lifted,'” Amirabdollahian added.
The US wants Iran to accept a draft agreement that was reached with the previous Iranian government during earlier negotiations. But Iran wants more sanctions relief than the Biden administration is willing to give and submitted two draft proposals dealing with sanctions and Iran’s nuclear commitments.
Deal breakers don’t get to dictate the process of restarting the deal they broke.
They can. They just rejoin the Deal. They’ve been invited (its been demanded of them) for years.
They just don’t really want the Deal. They don’t want to “restart.” So they don’t. That is what they can and do dictate.
Who are you referring to? Iran is willing to go back to the “real deal” NOT another nastier one. The USA has NO rights- it walked out and still threatens and sanctions illegally.
The corporate media haven’t cottoned on to the fact that Iran will quite reasonably refuse to sign a bad deal.
Why would Iran commit to anything when Washington reneges on every deal they ever signed.
For the benefit of the period in between signing and renegading
Better simply to get nukes – Washington never touched states with Nukes.
Agree, Vooch. Let the “deal” slide and develop their own nukes for a much- needed balance of power in the Middle East…and as you mentioned, a very effective deterrent.
Except they aren’t a deterrent unless two things are true: 1) you have enough to be an existential threat to the opponent, and 2) you have a delivery means. Neither would apply to Iran before they were attacked anyway, just as neither applies to North Korea. North Korea’s deterrent is their one million man army, and the fact that US war games show 50,000 US dead in the first 90 days. North Korea is smart enough to know that if they used those nukes, one US sub with 16 missiles with MIRV warheads would obliterate North Korea. They aren’t that dumb. Neither is Iran, as they’re repeatedly said they understand that.
They’d stay sanctioned though, like North Korea
and prosper
Israel will be forced to launch a MIRV strike.
‘forced’
On China & Russia…????????
Be real.
I hate to say this out loud, especially as a peace activist but, you may well be right…
Tragically true.
Obama did not lift the sanctions once the deal was signed in 2015. He pretended to, but arranged with banks etc to stall. See interview with Mohammad Marandi an adviser to the talks now in Vienna. BT 22nd Dec. 2021 on the situation from Iran’s pov fora change.
Iran was denied access to international financial markets. But they were able to sell their oil more easily and trade in ways made more difficult by Trump dishonouring the agreement
The phrase “Within weeks” just more gobbedlygook for “our patience is limited” or “the gun is cocked” and “all options on the table”. Wouldn’t it be better to just get along with countries instead of trying to lord it over them
It’s been childish bluff from the Zionists; but, the US has a lot of cred at stake here, so this could well be the real thing. And it has to be done openly so the world can see it means business.
Ground troops are not “on the table”. And just adding some more sanctions would appear weak. So it could very well mean missiles, … taking out something meaningful (which doesn’t mean “nuclear” as that was always just another WMD bogey for pop consumption). Likely they’ll destroy economic infrastructure: shipping ports, airports, surface arteries and bridges, power generation, and communication, with the intention of annihilating the hold on power of the Ayatollahs and the IRGC. And they would want to do it ‘surgically’; not just for our ‘benefit’; but because blood tends to result in greater popular solidarity for the regime and its proxies.
Here’s a thought. Why don’t we all just go back to the deal the way it was when the Americans stupidly pulled out? Yeah,I know. There’s a chance that the Iranians might actually agree to that and our good, good friends and allies, the Israelis, would not be happy.
That would be too sensible and honest–UnAmerican.
“They don’t like us anyhow,
let’s drop the big one and see what happens…” -Israel
“He made the comments from Israel, where he met with Israeli officials ” who are willing only to ensure NO deal is made. The USA will help by refusing the ONE essential requirement for Iran ie “lift the illegal sanctions” before anything else can start.
I’m reminded of the recent military weapons and trade deals Iran has negotiated with China and Russia. Add the recent deals Saudi Arabia has made with Russia and China with the UAE not far behind in like transactions, and I suspect the Abraham Accords are effectively dead.
Iran and Saudi Arabia may continue quarreling over Yemen, but Russia and China’s increased regional presence have almost guaranteed Israel will be stultified in efforts to effectively kill or significantly modify the JCPOA.
Washington is beside itself re the Energy Cliff and maintaining a moribund economy until a “smooth” transition. Israel is effectively dooming the possibilities the US will ever importing Iranian oil as well as the US intransigence.
I suggest the US, Russia, China, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia gather their leaders for a highly publicized summit to address the Palestinian issue. Actions and consequences need to be discussed. This shouldn’t be a photo op.
A modicum of knowledge about Sykes-Picot and Israel’s ascent to illegitimate sovereign status in 1948 leaves little doubt that the Palestinian issue, energy scarcity, and US regime change efforts are the forces behind Middle East violence.
https://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815 The Zionist Plan for the Middle East.
I’m not that confident a solution can be found, but even the late Marin Luther King had a dream.
I appreciate this concise (and well expressed) post.
“Actions and consequences”-you take yourself seriously. Please explain to me what determines whether a nation is legitimate or illegitimate. The US declared its independence,and backed it up in a war. The Russian revolution led to seizure of power by the Bolsheviks. France was divided into many kingdoms until oneking sized control inits entirety.
The other commentors pretty well cover the treacherous US position.
I’ll just add that it’s interesting to note that Israel and its US and European pawns all talk like everything is Iran’s fault.
Interesting that the deadling for Iran runs out nearly simultaneously with the Russian deadline for the U.S…. Not much time to maneuvor 2 such weighty issues which the U.S. needs to broach. Did this just happen by happenstance or did one side or the other spring this simotality as a pitfall for the other. All the ingredients for WWIII togerger in the same deadline pot with the fire turned up to high. I wonder if U.S. mainstream news will notice this volatile mix and give it the coverage it demands Or will the U.S. powerwalk past the graveyard of this squeeze whistling…????? Such times demand Justin, but he is keeping mum. Maybe Major Danny will take this call for us here at Antiwar dot com….?????