EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday that he had proposed a new draft text to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, adding that there was no longer room for major concessions.
Referring to the 2015 agreement, Burrell wrote in an article in the Financial Times: “I have now put a text on the table that details the lifting of sanctions as well as the nuclear steps needed to restore JCPOA operations.”
He added: After 15 months of intensive and productive negotiations in Vienna and countless interactions with JCPOA participants and the United States, I have come to the conclusion that the space for more significant concessions has run out.
Ali Bagheri Keni, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, confirmed the presentation of Borrell’s new proposal and added on Twitter: “We also have our own ideas in terms of substance and form to complete the negotiations and we will present them.”
State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that Washington is reviewing Burrell’s “draft understanding” with Iran and other parties to the 2015 deal and will respond directly to the European Union.
Burrell did not provide details of his proposal, but indicated — as many Western officials have already done — that time is running out to restore the accord under which Iran curbed its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
He further wrote: The time has come to make a quick political decision to end the Vienna negotiations based on my proposed text and immediately return to the full implementation of the JCPOA. He added: “If the agreement is rejected, we risk facing a serious nuclear crisis with the potential to further isolate Iran and its people.”
And in 2018, then-US President Donald Trump abandoned the deal, calling it too soft on Iran, and reimposed tough US sanctions, prompting Tehran to begin about a year later. Violation of nuclear restrictions contained in the agreement.
Source: Lebanon Debate
