Negotiations between Washington and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear program are heading for agreement. However, its content is not much different from that of 2015, which Donald Trump’s president had then described the “worst deal in history”.
In fact, he had then withdrew the US from it during his first term in 2018. This was stressed to eight officials and diplomats on all aspects of the negotiations.
The US government of Trump and the Iranians held three rounds of talks last month with the aim of reaching a new agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for removing financial sanctions. A fourth round, which was due to take place in Rome on Saturday, will be transferred to a new date, Oman announced yesterday, which broke out in the previous rounds of negotiations.
An initial framework, under discussion, maintains the core of the 2015 International Nuclear Agreement – known as a common integrated action plan (JCPOA) – emphasized sources, who spoke to Reuters on condition that they are not named.
Differences and compromises
A new agreement may not be radically different from that of 2015. Among the disputes will be that the duration of the agreement will extend to 25 years, tighten the verification and expand the so -called power expiration clauses, but do not completely eliminate aspects of the Iranian nuclear program.
According to the terms discussed, Iran will limit the size of the stocks and the types of centrifuges, and will dilute, export or seal 60% of its uranium reserve under unprecedented control by the International Atomic Energy Organization (IOEA) – in return for significant races.
According to proposals discussed in talks in April, Iran will limit enrichment to 3.67%, according to JCPOA, all sources, including three Iranian officials, said. Tehran is also open to granting extensive access to the IAEA to access its nuclear facilities, Iranian sources said.
Proposals do not seek to complete the complete dissolution of the Nuclear Infrastructure of the Islamic Republic, as Israel and some US officials want, but aim to impose permanent restrictions on uranium enrichment that will prevent any sharp increase in enrichment.
Another possible compromise could include maintaining a minimum enrichment from Iran, with 5,000 centrifuges, while introducing the rest of the enriched uranium, possibly from Russia.
What does Tehran take
In return for restrictions on enrichment, Tehran has demanded unscrupulous guarantees that Trump will not again abandon a nuclear deal, three Iranian officials said.
A higher regional source said the current negotiation on Iran’s uranium stocks focuses on whether Iran “will maintain a part of them – in a staunch – within the country, while sending another place abroad, possibly to Russia”.
According to the source, Iran has even proposed the idea of selling rich uranium to the US. Iran currently operates about 15,000 centrifuges. According to JCPOA, Iran was able to operate about 6,000.
“In essence, the negotiations are formed towards a” JCPOA 2 “, with some additions that will allow Trump to present it as a victory, while Iran will be able to maintain its right to enrichment,” said a senior Iranian official.
Trump pressures aimed at oil
US President Donald Trump said “any country or person” buys oil or petrochemicals from Iran will immediately be subject to secondary sanctions. Anyone who does this “will not be allowed to do jobs with the US in any way, shape or form,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Iran warned responded that the continuation of US sanctions “would not change” its policy after President Donald Trump’s threat to impose sanctions across the country or on persons involved in the Iranian oil market.
“Continuing these illegal behaviors will not change the Iranian position that is reasonable, legalized and based on international law”The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The appeal to sanctions sowed “deep doubt and distrust of the seriousness of US commitment to the diplomatic path”, added to the text.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran confirms its commitment to the diplomatic route and declares its readiness to continue negotiations,” he said. “At the same time, it categorically rejects all the approaches based on threats and pressure.”
