Window open for JCPOA but not forever: Amir-Abdollahian
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Contradicting the stance of the Biden administration, the US Special Representative for Iran, Robert Malley, says the nuclear deal with Iran is not dead.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned international powers on Friday that a window for reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, previously known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), remains open but not forever.
On Twitter, Amir-Abdollahian pointed out that he agreed with the European Union Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell earlier this week "on taking the final steps" for the nuclear agreement.
Iran, Germany, and the five permanent UN Security Council members negotiated the JCPOA in 2015. The United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 under the Trump administration, causing Iran to suspend the deal.
On-off talks to revive the JCPOA started in April last year, but the indirect talks between the US and Iran have stalled for several months with Iran facing Western-led riots.
"The window is open, but not forever," he said, adding that he urged a political solution in Ukraine.
In a meeting with @JosepBorrellF, we agreed on taking the final steps for the Agreement. The window is open, but not forever. Urged a political solution in Ukraine. Neither Guantanamo & AbuGhraib, nor crimes against women/children in Yemen & Afgh., allow the US to preach others.
— H.Amirabdollahian امیرعبداللهیان (@Amirabdolahian) December 23, 2022
The Iranian minister considered that neither Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, nor crimes against women and children in Yemen and Afghanistan allow the United States to lecture others.
On the same day, the US Special Representative for Iran, Robert Malley, said the nuclear deal with Iran is not dead.
In an interview for Radio Farda, Malley claimed that the negotiations on reviving the nuclear deal reached a point in September where "we even thought for a day or two that Iran was on board" until Tehran raised new demands at the last minute that ruined the chances of moving forward.
Malley's statement comes a few days after a new video that surfaced on social media showed US President Joe Biden saying that the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran is "dead".
#BREAKING: @POTUS is asked when he’s going to declare #Iran JCPOA dead and he says: “It is dead but we’re not gonna announce it.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/YjZGmsP5lW
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) December 20, 2022
On Tuesday, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator, John Kirby, said the prospects for the JCPOA deal to be renewed are nowhere near sight, citing reasons related to the Western-backed riots in Iran.
"We simply don't see a deal coming together anytime soon while Iran continues to kill its own citizens, and selling UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles or drones] to Russia," Kirby claimed during a press briefing.
"Now we don't anticipate any progress anytime in the near future. That's just not our focus," he added.
Similarly, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres claimed on Monday that a return to the terms of the JCPOA is at risk of failing amid stalled talk.
"We are, at the present moment, in serious risk of losing the JCPOA," Guterres said, adding that losing the JCPOA would be a negative factor for peace and stability in the region.
