As the nuclear talks between Tehran and the West remain stalled since April, the Iranian Foreign Ministry urged Washington today to return to the nuclear agreement signed in 2015, from which the U.S. administration withdrew in 2018, re-imposing hundreds of sanctions. Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh stated that the agreement "does not require mediation... and the West must change its strategy regarding this issue." He added, "The United States must return to the nuclear agreement," asserting that President Joe Biden's administration has not altered the approach of former President Donald Trump.
Khatibzadeh also confirmed that "Iran's discussions in the Vienna talks have proceeded so far in accordance with its national interests." He addressed relations with neighboring countries, reaffirming Tehran's support for any steps that contribute to security and stability in Iraq and the region.
Regarding the fate of the nuclear talks, the head of the National Security Committee in the Iranian parliament spoke days ago about "changing strategies" in the negotiations. Vahid Jalalzadeh announced on Saturday that the new round of nuclear agreement talks will be conducted with a "new structure."
Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, raised significant questions about the fate of the agreement and expressed skepticism about the negotiations that have seen seven rounds in Vienna without reaching an understanding between Tehran and the Western powers. He noted that returning to the agreement "is not something that the U.S. administration can fully control," particularly given Iran's lack of cooperation. It is worth mentioning that since last April, the nuclear negotiations in Vienna have included indirect participation from the U.S. administration; however, after seven rounds, they have failed to revive the 2015 agreement. The talks halted last month (July) amidst ongoing disputes over several key issues.
