Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R).
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said Sunday (28) that the country is not ripe for informal nuclear talks with the U.S. and other world powers and refused to negotiate. The White House expressed disappointment with Iran’s response, but said it remains willing to continue to approach Tehran.
“The U.S. position and behavior has not changed,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, adding that Iran will not renegotiate the Iran nuclear deal and reiterating Iran’s long-standing insistence that the U.S. lift sanctions first.
“While we are disappointed by Iran’s response, we remain prepared to re-engage in meaningful diplomacy to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the nuclear deal commitments.” A White House spokesman said Sunday.
“We will consult with our ‘5P+1’ partners to find the best solution.” The White House spokesman added.
The “5P+1” refers to the six countries involved in the Iran nuclear issue, including the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, namely China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States, plus Germany.
The Biden administration has previously said it wants to resume the nuclear deal, but will not suspend sanctions against Tehran until it returns to compliance. Iran, for its part, insists that it will not negotiate until after the U.S. sanctions are lifted. The main sticking point for both sides is the sequencing of those moves.
Five Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Biden on Friday, hoping for bipartisan consultations on the Iranian nuclear issue. The five lawmakers are: Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Republican Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Republican Jim Risch (R-Okla.), Senate Intelligence Committee Ranking Republican Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Senate Banking Committee Ranking Republican Pat Toomey Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
“Despite early agreement on confronting the Iranian regime, significant shifts in policy between Republican and Democratic administrations have cast doubt on the consistency of the United States in confronting the Iranian challenge.” “We urge you to truly seek this bipartisan support for U.S. Iran policy in Congress —— Without this consensus, Iran policy will continue to be used as a partisan political soccer and we will not be able to preserve the security interests of the United States and our allies,” the senators wrote.
First, the lawmakers noted, the United States needs a comprehensive strategy that incorporates all instruments of national power. Any negotiations with Iran should be combined with efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, ensure sufficient U.S. deterrence in the region, continue to build partnerships to address the Iranian threat, support reforms that strengthen regional sovereignty, and explore building around like-minded partners. multilateral security deployments.
Second, the United States should not rejoin the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The deadlines set in the original agreement were too short and are now inapplicable. Any future agreement must include all prohibitions and ensure that they are long enough to ensure that Iran does not use these tools to threaten its neighbors.
Third, the scope of any agreement with Iran must address all Iranian behavior, including regional terrorism, ballistic missiles and the detention of U.S. nationals.
Fourth, instead of succumbing to artificial urgency or deadlines, the United States should adopt a prudent and thoughtful approach.
Fifth, the Biden Administration must engage in extensive formal consultations with Congress, Israel, and Gulf partners.
Sixth, under no circumstances should the United States agree to any financial relief for Iran, which is a prerequisite for negotiations to take place.
Lawmakers look forward to consulting with the Biden administration on this very important issue, although Biden appears to have little interest.
Recent Comments