 |
| Iranian President Hassan Rohany <자료사진> © AFP=News1 © News1 Reporter Dongmyeong Woo |
Iran on the 28th (local time) rejected a request from the European side to hold a closed talk with the US to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, saying that the US should lift all unilateral sanctions.
According to Reuters, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Hativjade said, “Considering the recent actions and statements of the United States and the three European countries, Iran is not the time to hold informal talks with these countries as suggested by the head of EU foreign policy.”
He pointed out that the Biden administration continues to “Trump’s failed policy of’maximum pressure’,” and that the US position and actions have not changed.”
Earlier, Iranian officials said they were reviewing a proposal from the EU’s senior representative for foreign and security policy, Joseph Borrell, to hold informal talks with the United States and other parties to the nuclear agreement. This proposal was accepted by Joe Biden’s administration.
The Joe Biden administration has suggested it will rejoin the Iranian nuclear deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program. However, it was premised that Iran must fully comply with the terms of the agreement. On the other hand, Iran is demanding the US to take the first step by lifting sanctions.
A White House spokesman said on the day that “we were disappointed with Iran’s reaction, but we are ready to resume meaningful diplomacy to return to mutual (nuclear agreement) compliance.” “We will talk with our P5+1 partners in the best direction,” he added.
In April 2015, Iran agreed on a Comprehensive Joint Action Plan (JCPOA) to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue with P5+1 (the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus five nuclear countries + Germany). The key content of the agreement is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons in return for easing sanctions.
However, Iran responded that when the then-U.S. President Trump unilaterally declared withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and restored sanctions in May 2018, it would start nuclear activities that greatly exceed the standards stipulated in the nuclear agreement.