Iran FM Heads to Russia, Blames US for Nuclear Delays

Spokesman says talks' pause is not an impasse

The Vienna talks on the Iran nuclear deal have paused, with Iran’s Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian headed to Russia for talks, and the US warning Russia to abandon all demands.

Iranian officials say that people shouldn’t mistake a pause for an impasse, and that they’re trying to work out a deal acceptable to Iran and the other P5+1 members. Signs are a deal is pretty well done.

Iran sees the US as primarily holding the deal up at this point, and that may not change, with Senate Republicans objecting to any deal whatever the terms end up being, and threatening to withdraw from the pact if Russia keeps trying to keep the deal and new Russia sanctions from conflicting.

While the Biden Administration’s threats came with the implication of the US seeking a bilateral deal with Iran, it’s not clear that’s possible, particularly with Congress lining up to oppose deals as such.

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.