Tehran’s Patience vis-à-vis the West’s Haste; Nuclear Talks to Continue on a Rough Table

Contradictory stories about the process of nuclear talks in Vienna keeps the observers bewildered about potential outcome. Iran expresses hope about the result if the western side show more flexibility en route.

During the indirect nuclear talks, Tehran and Washington have been showing little tolerance on key topics. This has created doubts about the possibility of reaching a resolution to reaffirm a 2015 agreement that may allay worries of a larger Middle East conflict.

The timing and extent of reducing economic campaign against Iran are the most contentious issues after multiple series of talks. Among the major roadblocks are Iran’s insistence on a US commitment that no more punitive measures will be taken. Besides, the timing and quality of sanctions relief over Iran’s nuclear program are still major disputes.

In exchange for the removal of financial and political sanctions, Tehran agreed to curtail its enrichment process. This was a guaranteeing step to keep Iran away from the ability to produce nuclear weapons. The Middle East nation totally refutes such an ambition. 

Ex-US President, however, unilaterally abandoned the agreement three years ago and reinstituted sanctions to harm Iran’s economic. Trump claimed that the JCPOA had not done enough to rein down Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

A full year of patience by Iran was followed by it severe response to Trump’s violation of the pact. Tehran replenished enriched uranium stocks, increased the purity to 60% level, and constructed sophisticated centrifuges to expand production.

European diplomats fear time is up to revitalize the deal following an exhausting year of stop-start discussions. The process started after the removal of Donald Trump from office in Washington and accelerated after the power transfer in Iran. Iranian authorities dispute that they are under time constraints, claiming that the economy can endure owing to oil shipments.

Nuclear Talks; Eight Rounds, Hundreds of Hours

Despite modest development in the last days of previous year, Paris indicated days ago that the two sides have a considerable distance from restoring the deal.  The US said acknowledged “some progress” in recent weeks, but that it was not adequate. State Department spokesperson criticized what he described as “Modest progress“.

Tehran wants all post 2016 sanctions lifted immediately and in a transparent manner following nuclear talks. If the country returns to the original 2015 agreement, the US has stated that it will lift sanctions that are in violation of the agreement. 

This means Washington has no decision to lift the sanction that were based on American claims over Tehran regional involvement. “Americans should give assurances that no new sanctions under any label would be imposed on Iran in future. We need guarantees that America will not abandon the deal again,” Tehran said recently.

Assurances and verifications are the main tenet Iran is keeping in its negotiating guidelines. Tehran’s concerns seem to be relevant as a change of power in Washington may ablaze all the achievement, as did Trump. As a latest signal, more than 100 Republican representatives called for the termination of nuclear talks with Tehran in a letter to secretary Blinken.

American authorities have stated that Biden don’t have the ability to guarantee that the US administration’s future policies. Tehran, by the way, find these obstacle as local affairs of the United States that it must settled within the country.

While the Western alliance push for an immediate agreement, Tehran seems to be in no hurry. That might show that Trump’s campaign against Iran failed and put the county in a weak position. Iran want the original rights besides a guarantee to forbid another reneging process.