The U.S. administration has begun efforts to revive the stalled nuclear negotiations with Iran, which have been halted for more than two and a half months. U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley is expected to arrive in Moscow today, Wednesday, and then head to Paris to discuss the Iranian nuclear file.
**Russian Assistance**
A U.S. official confirmed to Reuters that Malley might explore alternative options if Tehran refuses to return to the negotiating table or sets conditions that Washington deems unacceptable, with Russia offering its assistance. Michael Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, indicated Moscow’s readiness to engage in dialogue with Washington regarding a return to the nuclear agreement. He tweeted on Wednesday that "Russia is prepared to support dialogue on the nuclear agreement with our American colleagues."
**Discussion on Alternatives**
An unnamed U.S. official clarified to Reuters that Malley is expected to meet with Russian officials in Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday, and also to gather with officials from Britain, France, Germany, and the European Union in Paris on Friday. He noted that the discussions would not focus on the upcoming meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He stated, "Our meeting will focus on nuclear diplomacy with Iran and where it will head."
Additionally, he mentioned that Washington still does not know when negotiations aimed at reviving the agreement can resume, especially as Iran’s nuclear program continues to advance. He added, "We will discuss the approach we will take if we conclude that Iran is not interested in returning to the agreement, or if they have a vision of returning under conditions that Washington will not accept. We need to consider these alternatives."
He clarified that Malley's visit does not include China but said, "We are in contact with our Chinese colleagues."
It is noteworthy that the nuclear talks, which began in April 2021 in Vienna to revive the agreement signed between Tehran and the West in 2015, have been stalled since July after several rounds that did not result in an agreement among negotiators due to unresolved issues.
Furthermore, a sharply worded report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released yesterday intensified the situation, stating that its monitoring tasks in Iran have faced "serious disruptions" after Tehran suspended some inspections related to its nuclear activities. In February, Iran had suspended some IAEA inspections in response to the U.S. refusal to lift sanctions against it, and it also limited the agency's access to monitoring equipment such as cameras.
This occurred after Iranian authorities reached a temporary agreement with the agency, in which they committed to preserving recordings from this equipment for eventual delivery to the agency. However, this agreement expired on June 24, and the report noted that Tehran "has not communicated with the agency at all" to renew it.
