US official: Washington desires return to JCPOA

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In an interview with Israeli newspaper Maariv, Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, confirmed that talks with Iran are ongoing, and that the United States does in fact desire to return to the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement. 

Nuland said that the talks are "the best solution for global security," and that "Iran is currently proceeding with the development of its nuclear program during this timeframe, and this is worrying for us -- time is running out, but we are working to get Iran back into the agreement, and we are continuing to work hard in Vienna." 

Furthermore, Nuland indicated that the United States holds dialogue with "Israel," which has been trying to sabotage the negotations, about Iran and the nuclear file, pointing out that the dialogue is renewed between them before and during each round of negotiations. 

In turn, a senior US State Department official said that the mutual return to the agreement is still uncertain, adding that what was achieved in the last round is still better than expected, but not as good as it should've been. The official contended that the US does not favor any diplomatic solution with Iran, pointing out that there is little progress with the negotiations and that the pace should be accelerated. 

On his part, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the talks about Tehran and Washington's return to compliance with the nuclear deal are "not going well," adding "The United States has conveyed through Europe to Iran its concern about Tehran's progress in its nuclear program."

The seventh round of negotiations resumed on December 9, between Iran and the "4+1" (Russia, China, Britain, Germany, France), and the United States in an indirect presence. The round of negotiations is focused on lifting sanctions against Tehran. 

JCPOA & nothing less

Iran’s lead negotiator says Tehran will not accept anything less than the nuclear agreement it signed with world powers in 2015, stressing that the issue will remain Tehran’s red line at the ongoing talks in Vienna.

"We will definitely agree to nothing less than that agreement and this will certainly be a red line for the Islamic Republic of Iran,"  Ali Bagheri Kani told Press TV on Saturday.

“We have a basic red line, which is backed up by logic,” he said, adding, “We have an agreement that was finalized by Iran and the P5+1 in 2015. The US withdrew from it a few years later and now it wants to rejoin that deal. So, this agreement is a shared basis between the two sides."

Israeli sabotage of the talks 

Regarding the blatant Israeli interference and their concern with the arrival of a beneficial deal for Iran, Iran's lead negotiator on the Vienna talks Ali Bagheri Kani, on December 12, confirmed that the Israelis are indeed striving to sabotage the atmosphere outside the negotiations hall in an attempt to influence the outcome. 

Earlier this month, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged the US to halt the nuclear talks between Iran and major powers in Vienna, accusing Tehran of "nuclear blackmail."

Bennett called for an "immediate cessation of the resumed talks that restarted in Vienna following a five-month hiatus.

The statements came during a phone call with US State Secretary Antony Blinken, which Bennett used to voice his opposition to the 2015 JCPOA, whose revival world powers have been seeking since the 2018 US withdrawal under Donald Trump.

The occupation's PM also urged Washington to take "concrete measures" against Tehran, saying that Iran "deserves no rewards, no bargain deals, and no sanctions relief."

"Iran is carrying out 'nuclear blackmail' as a negotiation tactic, and this must be met with an immediate cessation of negotiations and by concrete steps taken by the major powers," a statement from his office said.