Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Friday that the Islamic Republic will not give in to the Biden administration’s demands and return to compliance with the JCPOA before the US lifts sanctions.
Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul alongside Turkey’s foreign minister, Zarif said the US demand “is not practical and will not happen.” The Iranian diplomat has made his position clear since President Biden came to office.
Zarif also brought up US sanctions recently imposed on Turkey by the US over Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system. He said Iran “condemns” the S-400 sanctions.
“Unfortunately, the US government has been addicted to sanctions and this wrong policy will cost dearly for the whole world,” Zarif said.
Friday’s comments were Zarif’s second public response to remarks made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday. Blinken said Iran must return to compliance before the US does, something he said was a “long ways” away.
Zarif hit back at Blinken in a tweet on Thursday. “Reality check for @SecBlinken, the US violated JCPOA, blocked food/medicine to Iranians, punished adherence to UNSCR 2231,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Throughout that sordid mess, Iran abided by JCPOA, only took foreseen remedial measures. Now, who should take 1st step? Never forget Trump’s maximum failure,” Zarif added.
Last week, Zarif penned an article for Foreign Affairs calling for President Biden to unconditionally lift sanctions on Iran if the new administration is serious about salvaging the JCPOA.
Blinken and Nod doesn’t understand the handwriting on the wall, the JCPOA is Dead in the Water and gone forever.
After partial expulsion of IAEA inspectors on February 19th, Biden will wake up to the reality…!
Unfortunately I expect it will need to deteriorate much further before many in the Biden Admin will stand up to their own hawks.
I also expect that will then be too late. This is on Biden, he had a window of opportunity, and he has broken it quite deliberately.
What comes next? Nuclear weapons or war, it will be a race.
Lifting sanctions will not be easy . . .from Politico–
“Trump left behind a sanctions minefield for Biden. . .The new administration may find that reviving the Iran deal is much easier said than done.”. .here
The politics won’t be easy. The way Washington works, including satisfying Israel, President Trump was able to sock it to Iran under existing laws including counter-terrorism. It was okay with bought-and-paid-for Congress-critters. But removal of the sanctions by President Biden could trigger congressional action on new sanctions bills to please Israel. It might be a battle, a non-democratic one.
When it comes to Iran there will be no difference between Biden’s Secretary of State and Trump’s.
2 or 3 days ago, Blinken tells us Iran must fully comply with JCPOA, before we re-join.
But yesterday or day before that, Malley was appointed as the Iran’s special envoy to deal with Iran’s issues. Malley thinks that both parties – step by step -should begin complying simultaneously & we should get right back into & not wait till their election in a few months . Opposite of what Blinken, (his boss) said, it seems.
Is there already a problem in coordinating our policies in the Biden’s administration on Iran?
That is also absurd. There is no reason to expect Iran to give any step by step trust to those who were proudly and blatantly untrustworthy.
They’d have to be nuts to go along with that. They’ll never get compliance from the US if they do that.
Correct, never the less, the Malley & team can wish & hope….
Plus our hawks would go crazy. Appeasement.
Not to mention our good friends and staunch allies, the Israelis.
To be expected America going into negotitions with preconditions but lets face it Americans have never been any good when it comes to Deplomacy have they.
Yes, the State motto is “Diplomacy in Action” which I say is “Diplomacy Inaction” recently characterized by Hillary and Pompous. Any “negotiating” is done by the combatant commanders which cover the globe with American Exceptionalism AKA “rules-based international order.”
So far there is no acknowledgement from the new admin in Washington that the old one cost the US credibility, and we are the ones who have making-up to do. That’s what’s needed.
The clock is ticking.
“Iran serious about its recent nuclear decisions”
Tehran Times, Jan 11
Iran’s UN ambassador has affirmed Iran’s intentions.
NYTimes, Jan 27