Blinken: We Are Approaching a Point Where Returning to JCPOA Will No Longer Be Beneficial

The U.S. Secretary of State warned during a visit to Berlin that time is running out for Iran to return to JCPOA negotiations. Germany’s Foreign Minister also described the timeframe announced by Iran for returning to JCPOA talks as “very long.”

Anthony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, warned on Wednesday, September 17 (September 8) during a visit to Berlin at a press conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas about the loss of time to return to the nuclear agreement with Iran.

When asked when a return to JCPOA negotiations would become impossible, Blinken said: “I am not announcing a date, but we are approaching a point where a return to commitment to the JCPOA will no longer have the expected benefits and outcomes.”

He emphasized that after the release of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report on the expansion of Iran’s nuclear activities, time is running out for the Islamic Republic to return to the JCPOA.

The International Atomic Energy Agency announced on Tuesday, September 16 (September 7) that Iran has prevented monitoring activities at its nuclear sites and has also obstructed investigations related to enriched uranium traces at several centers.

Beyond that, Iran has stated that it needs two to three months to select a team of negotiators for the revival of the JCPOA.

However, this is not welcomed by JCPOA negotiators, particularly the three European countries involved in the JCPOA negotiations (Germany, Britain, and France), who have called for Iran’s faster return and warned that the time and opportunity for negotiations on reviving the nuclear agreement is not “unlimited.”

Heiko Maas: Germany Considers Iran’s Delay Very Long

Heiko Maas, Germany’s Foreign Minister, in response to a question about Iran’s return in the next two to three months to JCPOA negotiations in Vienna, said that Germany considers the delay referenced by Tehran to be “very long.”

Maas added that he has contacted his new counterpart in Tehran to convince him to “return to the JCPOA negotiating table as soon as possible.”

Maas said Germany expects the new Iranian government to support the Vienna talks on reviving the JCPOA and continue these negotiations.

The Vienna talks, referred to as “JCPOA revival negotiations,” have been suspended with the coming to power of Ibrahim Raisi’s government. Islamic Republic officials have announced their readiness to continue negotiations but continuously emphasize the condition of lifting sanctions.

Emmanuel Macron, President of France, on Wednesday, September 17, in a phone call asked Ibrahim Raisi to resume nuclear negotiations as soon as possible. Raisi demanded the lifting of sanctions and said: “We have no objection to beneficial negotiations, but the agenda and result of the negotiations should be the lifting of sanctions against Iran. Negotiations for the sake of negotiations are futile.”

The sixth round of JCPOA revival talks in Vienna ended on June 30, and no exact date has yet been set for the seventh round of these negotiations.

The general meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency is scheduled to be held in Vienna on Tuesday, September 21.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, expressed hope that the seventh round of negotiations will begin before this general meeting is held.

Source: DW