US envoy for Iran says not sure deal imminent

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Robert Malley said on Sunday that he was not confident a revival of the nuclear deal was imminent.

The US Special Envoy for Iran said at the Doha Forum international conference "I can't be confident it is imminent... A few months ago we thought we were pretty close as well." 

He said that in any talks, when issues remain open for so long, "it tells you something about how hard it is to bridge the gap."

Although Malley said he wasn't sure a deal would happen soon, former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi spoke more optimistically, though alluding to the same impasse. 

"Yes, it's imminent. It depends on the political will of the United States," Kharrazi told the conference.

Although Iran had been adamant from the beginning that its request would be the removal of all sanctions, the US is still clinging to its sanctions against the IRGC, which is part of Iran's armed forces.

The IRGC, Kharrazi explained, is a national army, "and a national army cannot be listed as a terrorist group."

Blinken: "Israel", US have disagreements about a nuclear agreement

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the Biden administration believes that "the return to full implementation" of the nuclear deal was "the best way to put Iran's program back in the box that it was in but has escaped from since the United States withdrew from the agreement," in 2018.

Blinken made the comments in occupied Al-Quds alongside his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid, adding that “when it comes to the most important element, (Israel and the US) see eye to eye. We are both committed, both determined, that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon."

On his account, the Israeli foreign minister emphasized that the US and “Israel” and the United States will continue to work together to prevent a nuclear Iran, adding “the world cannot afford a nuclear Iran.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, he noted that “Israel and the US have disagreements about a nuclear agreement and its consequences, but open and honest dialogue is part of the strength of our friendship.”