Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that the U.S. administration's procrastination under President Joe Biden regarding a return to the nuclear deal is due to internal circumstances following former President Donald Trump's term. He emphasized Iran's readiness to negotiate with the U.S. within the framework of the 5+1 group once it returns to the agreement.
In an interview with the Iranian newspaper "Hamshahri," Zarif said, "Biden inherited wreckage from Trump, and America faces a crisis of legitimacy and national unity. Trump led a rebellion against the symbol of American democracy... The more the Biden administration delays a resolution on the nuclear issue, the more damage it inflicts upon itself, and its foreign policy takes additional hits. Biden's delay will indicate that he does not want to rid himself of Trump's legacy, and I do not believe this is his intention."
Zarif noted that the continuation of the economic war against Iran would tarnish the image of the new U.S. administration, making it not far removed from the previous administration's policies. He asserted that "the nuclear deal is a decision made by the entire ruling system in Iran, and I do not believe the next Iranian government will oppose it. The nuclear deal succeeded in ending the global security consensus against Iran, abolished Security Council sanctions, and gained international recognition of Iran's nuclear rights."
Regarding negotiations between Tehran and Washington, Zarif stated, "There is no consensus in Iran regarding negotiations with the U.S., and entering negotiations with them would not be a correct step... Washington's return to the nuclear deal does not require Iranian-American negotiations."
He further mentioned that both Iran and the U.S. are ready to engage in dialogue with the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who can coordinate steps for returning to the agreement as the coordinator in the joint committee established by the nuclear deal. Zarif continued, "After coordinating the steps, America can become a member of the nuclear deal, and we can sit with them at the 5+1 table. Iran does not need to return to the negotiation table; it is the U.S. that should buy a ticket to enter the 5+1."
Zarif highlighted that the U.S. faces an examination regarding the nuclear deal, and its behavior will determine the outcome of that examination. He said, "Biden should seek a quicker opportunity to return to the nuclear deal to save America from an international crisis. Parliamentary laws and U.S. elections have made the time limited for the Biden administration to return to the nuclear deal... We will oppose any attempt to resort to the dispute resolution mechanism under Biden's administration."
He also warned that Iran would reconsider its membership in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons if the opposing party were to resort to the snapback mechanism and refer Iran's file to the UN Security Council.
