The Wall Street Journal announced that Iran has rejected a European offer for talks regarding the nuclear agreement with Washington.
The newspaper reported that Western diplomats indicated that Iran is not accepting the European offer for discussions related to the nuclear agreement. It was clarified that Tehran seeks a guarantee that Washington will lift some sanctions following the nuclear agreement talks. The newspaper emphasized that Iran's rejection has not extinguished hopes for direct negotiations in the coming months.
Earlier, Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, stated that Iran is considering a proposal from the European Union for an informal meeting among the current members of the 2015 nuclear agreement and the United States, but has not yet responded. There is a dispute between Iran and the United States regarding who should take the first step to revive the 2015 agreement. Iran insists that the United States should first lift the sanctions imposed by former President Donald Trump, while Washington maintains that Tehran must return to full compliance with the agreement first.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested earlier this month a way to overcome the stalemate between the United States and Iran regarding who will initiate the return to the nuclear deal, stating that Josep Borrell, the EU's Foreign Policy Chief, could "coordinate" the steps. Araghchi mentioned in an interview with state television, "We are considering Josep Borrell’s proposal to hold an informal meeting of the 4+1 nuclear agreement members with the United States and Iran and are consulting with our partners, including Russia and China, and we will respond to this proposal in the future. However, we believe that the U.S. return to the nuclear deal does not require a meeting, and the only way forward is through the lifting of sanctions."
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki stated that the EU proposed the idea of holding a meeting between Iran and the six major nations that signed the nuclear deal, adding, "The Europeans have invited us... it is just an invitation to hold a meeting and diplomatic talks." Araghchi asserted that "Grossi's visit has nothing to do with Iran's decision, and Iran's decision will be implemented." He added that "the agency's monitoring capability will decrease by about 20 to 30 percent as a result of implementing the parliamentary decision."
Earlier, Ali Rabiei, the Iranian government spokesperson, stated that Iran believes U.S. sanctions will soon be lifted despite ongoing "diplomatic disputes" over reviving the nuclear agreement, indicating Tehran's desire to resolve the stalemate without presenting a new position.
