The United States reaffirmed its determination to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring a nuclear weapon: “The ball is in its court”

Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said on Sunday that Washington’s offer to sit down and talk with Iran to reorient the 2015 nuclear pact “still stands” and said that now the “ball” is on the land of the Persian country.

Sullivan assured CBS News’ Face the Nation that Biden is, in the first place, “determined to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.” but at the same time, he considers that “firm and clear diplomacy is the best way to do it”.

“And for that,” he continued, “he is ready to sit down at the table and talk to the Iranians about how we can reimpose strict restrictions on their nuclear program. This offer still stands, because we think diplomacy is the best way to do it. “

“Iran has yet to respond, but what happened as a result was that the scenario was reversed. Now it is Iran that is diplomatically isolated, not the United States. And the ball is in his court, ”added the adviser.

The European Union, which coordinates the so-called pact (the JCPOA, in English) wants to invite the United States to an informal meeting with Iran and the other signatories of the agreement (Russia, China, France, United United and Germany) to discuss a roadmap.

“We are reviewing the proposal and consulting with other partners, China and Russia, but we believe that the return of the United States to the JCPOA and the lifting of sanctions does not require negotiations,” Iranian deputy minister said. Foreign Affairs and nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi.

The JCPOA was signed between Iran and the so-called 5 + 1 group (United States, Russia, China, France, United Kingdom and Germany) to limit Iran’s atomic program in exchange for relief from international sanctions.

The agreement was severely weakened since in 2018 the government of Donald Trump, which left the White House on January 20, decided to withdraw its country and reimpose sanctions on Tehran, which in retaliation began a year later. to reduce its commitments and is ready to limit international inspections of its atomic installations.

On the other hand, Sullivan anticipated that Washington also intended to communicate “directly” with Iran regarding the detention of US citizens. in this country, which he called an “absolute and total scandal” and a “humanitarian catastrophe”.

“We have started communicating with the Iranians on this issue,” admitted the official, who expected they will continue to do so as they move forward, but admitted the message will be that they will not accept ” a long-term proposition. “

“It will be a high priority for this administration to bring these Americans back safe and sound,” he said.

Agreement with the UN

Iran and the IAEA, the UN nuclear agency, agreed on Sunday on a new, more limited verification regime for a period of three months, to control the Persian nuclear program before the suspensions of cooperation announced by Tehran for next week.

This was announced by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, on his return to Vienna after a two-day visit to Tehran, where he met Iran’s top nuclear negotiators. “We will have less access (than so far), we have to be honest, but we will be able to maintain the necessary level of monitoring and verification”Grossi said in press statements at the airport in the Austrian capital.

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