A senior U.S. State Department official said on Thursday that despite the significant gaps between Washington and Tehran, it is possible to reach an agreement within weeks regarding the resumption of compliance with the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal if Iranian authorities decide to do so.
The official told reporters during a phone briefing, speaking on condition of anonymity, "Is it possible to see a mutual return to compliance with the nuclear agreement in the coming weeks or an understanding regarding mutual compliance? The answer is yes, it is possible."
The official continued, "Is this likely? The answer is that only time will tell because, as I said, it ultimately comes down to a political decision that must be made in Iran." U.S. officials are returning to Vienna for a fourth round of indirect talks with Iran about how to resume compliance with the agreement that former President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018, prompting Iran to begin violating its terms a year later.
The core of the agreement is that Iran commits to taking steps to restrict its nuclear program, making it difficult for it to obtain fissile material to build a nuclear weapon in exchange for the easing of U.S., European, and United Nations sanctions. Tehran denies seeking to possess nuclear weapons.
The U.S. official stated that it is possible to revive the nuclear agreement before the Iranian elections scheduled for June 18, but it is again up to Iran to make such a political decision.
The official added, "We believe it is feasible. This is not about inventing a new agreement... Is it possible to reach an agreement before the Iranian elections? Absolutely... it is possible." However, he said it requires Iran to stop demanding that Washington do more than stipulated in the agreement while seeking to do less themselves.
He stated, "If there is a clear and realistic vision of what this entails, it can be achieved relatively quickly either in terms of reaching an understanding or its implementation, but talks need to accelerate so we can go there in the coming weeks, and there is no guarantee that the situation will be that way."
All parties to the original agreement, including Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, are participating in the Vienna talks, with European diplomats shuttling between the U.S. and Iranian delegations.
The U.S. official described recent inaccurate reports about reaching an agreement for the release of American citizens detained in Iran as involving "unspeakable cruelty," indicating that there are separate discussions on this matter.
He stated, "We are handling this matter independently." He added, "The return of detainees to their homeland is a matter of utmost priority. We want it resolved sooner rather than later, indeed, resolved immediately."
