Iran’s Security Chief Says Sanctions Render JCPOA 'An Empty Shell'

Iran's national security chief says the United States and its European allies have failed to live up to their commitments under the 2015 deal, rendering the JCPOA an empty shell.

Ali Shamkhani wrote in a Persian tweet on Wednesday that the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers did not bring about any economic benefits for Iran or lift sanctions on the country.

He added that the Islamic Republic will not engage in any negotiations with “oath-breaker America” and “idle Europe.”

As the Iranian negotiating team is engaged in bilateral and multilateral talks with the participants of the Vienna talks, Shamkhani has been sounding negative about the negotiations in recent days and insisting on the removal of all sanctions imposed since 2018 when former US president Donald Trump left the JCPOA.

Shamkhani said last week, “Previous experience has shown that without effective lifting of sanctions, sustainable economic benefits from JCPOA are an illusion.”

The Biden Administration has indicated it is willing to lift nuclear-related sanctions imposed since 2018, but Iran is demanding the removal of other sanctions related to human rights, banking and export violations.

While officials say the eighth round of the Vienna talks is in its concluding stages, another meeting was held Tuesday night between Iranian negotiators, the European Troika, and the representative of the European Union.

Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Bagheri also held a bilateral meeting with the EU coordinator for negotiations Enrique Mora.