U.S. President Joe Biden said during a press conference on Friday that it is still too early to know whether talks with Iran will succeed in saving the agreement concerning its nuclear program. Biden stated at the conference, which he held with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, that "it is premature to know the outcome" and that Iran's recent step of announcing uranium enrichment at 60 percent will not help in resolving this impasse "at all."
In the press conference in Washington with Prime Minister Suga, Biden affirmed that the production of 60% enriched uranium announced by Iran is a new retreat from its international commitments and does not "help at all" in finding a way out of the stalemate. The American president added, "Despite everything, we are pleased to see that Iran continues to engage in discussions" that have been ongoing since last week in Vienna regarding its nuclear program. He remarked, "I think it is too early to determine the outcome, but we will continue the discussion."
Iran announced on Friday that it began enriching uranium-235 to levels up to 60%, representing another retreat from its commitments to the concerned international community regarding its nuclear ambitions. This announcement comes at a time when talks are taking place in Vienna under the supervision of the European Union to save this agreement, which was derailed by former President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw from it in 2018. Biden believes that the "maximum pressure" policy against Iran adopted by his predecessor was a complete failure, and he states that he wants to return to the nuclear agreement but under terms that Tehran considers unacceptable. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on the country's nuclear policy decisions, approved the Vienna negotiations but warned on Wednesday that he would not allow them to "drag on."
