Iran Pundits Pessimistic Over Outlook For A Nuclear Deal
Hassan Beheshtipour, an expert on Iran's nuclear case, says the latest statement by IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi paves the way for a new UN resolution against Iran.
Grossi told CNN on Tuesday, July 26, that "Iran has to restore all our inspection capabilities" after Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami declared on the same day that Iran will keep cameras monitoring its nuclear activities switched off until a deal is struck with the United States." Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency explained: "We do not know what is happening with Iran's nuclear program."
In an interview with the Iranian Labor News Agency ILNA on Wednesday, Beheshtipour criticized Iranian officials for saying repeatedly that the IAEA is under the influence of the United States and Israel, and said that this will not solve any problem. He stressed that the difference between Iran and IAEA can be solved only through negotiations.
Beheshtipour said while Iran and the IAEA level accusations against each other it means that this is not the right time for cooperation and added that Iran possibly expects Grossi to also call on the United States to go back to its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.
With the latest accusations against Iran, the IAEA will certainly issue a resolution against Tehran in September, Beheshtipour remarked, adding that Iran will take that as a step fabricated to condemn Tehran. However, Beheshtipour pointed out that the IAEA has confirmed in 14 previous reports that Iran was committed to the terms of JCPOA.
Meanwhile, Iran's former ambassador to the United Kingdom Jalal Sadatian said in an interview with Didban Iran website that the negotiations to revive the JCPOA have failed. He added that the 2015 agreement could be revived only with a miracle. "We should consider the JCPOA as a terminated case, and if Iran's nuclear issue is not resolved, its economy will not improve," Sadatian said, adding that Russia and China are not able to solve Iran's economic problems. He argued that there has been no benefit for Iran in the boosting of its ties with Russia.
Lately, Iran has been insisting that it can survive under US sanctions by closer ties with Russia and China. Vladimir Putin visited Tehran earlier this month and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised him for his invasion of Ukraine.
The former diplomat further said that Russia is determined to prevent Iran from providing oil for Europe while Europe is keen to have access to Iran's energy market.
In a related development, former diplomat and current political analyst Ali Bigdeli said in an interview with Nameh News website that there is no hope the nuclear talks would continue and bear results, nonetheless, the two sides are reluctant to declare the failure of the negotiations, partly because they know that there is no chance for another agreement.
Bigdeli's view is more pessimistic than the position of commentators such as Heshmatolah Falahatpisheh who believe that Iran and the United States should forget about the JCPOA and start working from the scratch on a new agreement.
Bigdeli went on to say without an explanation, that the United States is by no means prepared to accept a new agreement. In the meantime, Iran has demands from the US which are beyond the scope of the JCPOA, and the United States insists that the two sides should return to the 2015 nuclear deal.
It is not in Iran's interest to declare the failure of the JCPOA as this would be a bonus for Israel, which could launch a war in that case to protect its security, the analyst added.
