U.S. Announces Readiness to Participate in P5+1 Talks with Iran
In two simultaneous moves, the U.S. government announced it is ready to participate in negotiations among the P5+1 countries with Iran regarding the nuclear agreement. Additionally, the automatic snapback mechanism for UN sanctions that Trump had activated was revoked.
The Biden administration has announced that it is prepared to negotiate alongside major world powers for a return to the 2015 nuclear agreement and a decisive rejection of Trump’s maximum pressure policy, which led to Iran’s isolation.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price stated in a statement that the United States accepts the European Union’s invitation to participate in a joint meeting with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Iran regarding the nuclear agreement.
The U.S. State Department announced that these measures were the result of consultations that Secretary of State Antony Blinken held with his British, French, and German counterparts on Friday, February 18, while Biden is preparing himself for his first major virtual meeting with world leaders.
Joe Biden is scheduled to hold talks with leaders of the seven major industrial nations on Friday, February 19, and subsequently speak at the Munich Security Conference. At both of these events, Biden is expected to speak about his commitment to inclusive and multilateral diplomacy as well as his desire to restore what Trump had damaged over the past four years.
Ned Price also stated: “The United States accepts the invitation of the European Union’s high representative to participate in the meeting of the P5+1 countries and Iran to discuss diplomatic ways to return to the nuclear agreement.”
These remarks came after Enrique Mora, the European Union’s political director, proposed an “informal meeting” with the participation of Iran and the United States on Twitter.
The United States had not participated in any of the P4+1 meetings regarding Iran since Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran.
The European Union’s invitation has not yet been formally presented to the United States, but will be delivered to the U.S. government shortly after Blinken’s consultations with the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany, and France.
Revocation of the Snapback Mechanism
Simultaneously, the Biden administration notified the UN Security Council in writing that it would revoke the automatic restoration of UN sanctions against Iran, known as the “snapback mechanism,” which was announced by Trump in September of last year, under which sanctions would automatically be reimposed against Iran.
These sanctions included a ban on the purchase and sale of weapons for Iran, whose deadline has already expired.
In September 2019, the Trump administration sent a letter to the UN Security Council stating that the United States was restoring UN sanctions against Iran due to “non-compliance with its obligations.” This Trump action disregarded other Security Council members and the world, and the majority of Security Council countries declared it illegal because the United States was no longer a party to the nuclear agreement with Iran.
Removal of Travel Restrictions on Iranian Diplomats
Meanwhile, U.S. officials have stated that they are removing travel restrictions on Iranian diplomats to participate in UN assemblies. With the imposition of these restrictions by Trump, Iranian diplomats were only able to travel between their residence and the UN’s main building in New York and were not permitted to visit other parts of New York.
Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, immediately criticized the Biden administration’s actions and said: “It is concerning that the Biden administration is in a clear attempt to reconcile and return to the flawed nuclear agreement with Iran.”
He continued: “The Trump administration provided a tool of pressure regarding Iran for President Biden. We should not squander this progress.”
Source: DW
