2015 nuclear deal remains basis for Iran talks, Russia says

Nuclear deal negotiators pose for a photo at the UN building in Vienna, Austria. (2015)
Nuclear deal negotiators pose for a photo at the UN building in Vienna, Austria. (2015)

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) remains the essential foundation for any future negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, Moscow's envoy to the UN nuclear watchdog said on Monday.

In an interview with Russian daily Izvestia, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said that the JCPOA is irreplaceable and will serve as the starting point for new talks, warning that the current impasse risks uncontrolled escalation.

“The JCPOA is still in a half-disassembled state,” he said but noted that “the JCPOA will remain the starting point for new negotiations.”

Ulyanov added, "The current uncertain situation with the JCPOA is fraught with the risk of uncontrolled escalation. Therefore, we see the best way forward in the return of the main players to the negotiation table."

Ulyanov dismissed concerns over the recent increase in Iran's highly enriched uranium reserves, saying, "Such an increase in stockpiles is not critical, since production remains under the effective control of the agency [IAEA]."

He also acknowledged IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's concerns, having called the JCPOA an "empty shell", but cautioned against making categorical judgments regarding the effectiveness of the agreement.

"There is nothing to replace it at the moment," Ulyanov said regarding the JCPOA. "Therefore, it is likely that we will now talk about some kind of modified agreement if the interested parties come to a consensus on the need to develop one."

He argued that the real threat to nuclear non-proliferation lies in "the inability of the main parties involved to find a common language and move from megaphone diplomacy to genuine diplomacy."

The JCPOA, signed by Iran, Russia, the United States, Britain, France, China, and Germany, aimed to lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for limitations on its nuclear program. However, the US withdrew from the deal in 2018, reimposing sanctions and prompting Iran to scale back its commitments.

Additionally, Ulyanov criticized Western nations for undermining progress, specifically citing a November 2024 anti-Iranian resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors, which he said largely undermined previous agreements.