Biden Administration Still Wants To Pursue Nuclear Deal With Iran

The United States has reiterated that it still believes a return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal is in its interest, and it continues to pursue the diplomatic path.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Monday that “We will continue to forge ahead with efforts, with dialogue via the – via our partners, including the European Union, to seek to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA for as long as we determine that a mutual return to compliance would be in our interests.“

Earlier this year, the Biden administration had said that it would consider the end of February as the latest date it was willing to wait for progress in the talks.

In mid-March, negotiation that started in April 2021 came to a standstill as Iran demanded the removal of its Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) from a US list of terrorist organizations. Washington has not agreed to the condition, saying that i tis ready to remove nuclear sanctions, but the terror designation is a separate issue for which Iran has to negotiate over other issues.

Price reiterated that position on Monday. „If Iran wants to seek – wants to put issues on the table that are outside the confines of the JCPOA, Iran will of course have to be in a position to make concessions on those issues. That’s just the very nature of any negotiation.“

Asked if he had any comment about reports that the European Union coordinator in the Vienna talks wants to visit Iran again, Price said the US supports his efforts.

Opposition to retoring the JCPOA has grown in the US, especially rejection of any concession on delisitng the IRGC.