Iran says draft to revive nuclear deal nearly ready, but issues remain

Tehran, Feb 28 (EFE).- Iran Monday said the draft to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement was almost 98 percent ready even as three key issues remain.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters in Tehran that salvaging the stalled nuclear deal was possible if the signatories agreed on resolving the pending issues.

He said the three issues include lifting sanctions, guarantees of American commitments, and accusations against the “peaceful nuclear program.”

“The United States and European powers have not taken political decisions on these major issues,” Khatibzadeh said.

The spokesperson clarified that the negotiators in the Austrian capital were not discussing a new agreement but trying to revive the atomic pact that Iran signed with six world powers – the US, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany – in 2015.

Under the pact, the world powers had agreed to lift international sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.

However, then-President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in 2018 and reimposed strict sanctions on Tehran, which in return downsized its commitment to its atomic obligations, rendering the multilateral nuclear agreement virtually ineffective.

Khatibzadeh said Iranian officials held several national security council meetings on the nuclear pact in recent days with President Ebrahim Raisí.

Iran’s nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani returned to Vienna on Sunday to continue negotiations after spending several days in Tehran for consultations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdolahian said Saturday that he was seriously reviewing the draft agreement.

The talks to salvage the pact involve Germany, France, the UK, Russia, China, and Iran, which remain part of the agreement, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The US is not attending the negotiations directly. But, its officials are indirectly talking to Iran to have Washington return to the agreement and Iran resume compliance.

Iran is negotiating with Germany, France, the UK, Russia, and China, with the indirect participation of the US, to save the pact that limited the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

In recent weeks, the Iranian authorities have indicated that the agreement to save the 2015 nuclear pact is “closer than ever.” EFE

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