This Wednesday, Iran announced that it received the US response to the text proposed by Europe to revive the nuclear deal known as the JCPOA.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this Wednesday that it has received the US response to the comments Iran made to the EU’s proposed “final text” of the nuclear deal.
“Iran received the Americans’ response to resolve the remaining issues in the negotiations for the nuclear deal through the European Union coordinator on Wednesday evening,” Nasser Kanani, the spokesman of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters in a news conference the same day.
Kanani also noted that “a detailed examination of the US opinions has begun, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will announce its own opinion in this regard to the EU coordinator after completion of the examinations.”
Washington too confirmed the news, with Ned Price, the spokesman of the US State Department, saying that the US has sent its response to the European Union and it has reached the Iranian side as well. “Now we have to see if they (Iranians) recognize that this is the best possible deal or if they push for more concessions.” Price said this Thursday.
According to a person familiar with the US response, what Washington delivered is mainly focused on economic guarantees for Iran. The source did not provide further details but said that the US response was “something less than what Iran expects.”
Aside from this source who spoke with Politico, none of the negotiating parties have officially commented on the details of the proposed text so far.
It was on August 8 that Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief and the coordinator of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States, provided a text as a draft agreement, which he said was final and unchangeable.
After examining the text, Iran sent its official response to Borrel on August 15 with proposals for reforms. Borrell said last Monday that he received Iran’s response and described it as “reasonable.”
For Washington, however, it took until this Wednesday to provide Borrell with a response. This time, the EU’s foreign policy chief didn’t comment on what the American side proposed.
Last efforts to halt Iran nuclear deal
The Biden administration in Washington faces significant political opposition to returning to the JCPOA mainly from Republicans in the US Congress and from Israel because they are not yet convinced that the deal is in the best interest of the US and Israel’s national security.
Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, for example, criticized any efforts to revive the JCPOA and said this week that “I plan to systematically fight the implementation of this disastrous deal. To this end, my colleagues and I will work to ensure that the deal is blocked and ultimately repealed in January 2025.”
Israel too has been ceaselessly trying to block further negotiations and prevent any new deal between Tehran and Washington.
On Tuesday, a delegation headed by Eyal Holata, Israel’s National Security Adviser, flew to the United States to meet with White House officials and present Israel’s concerns and objections to the possibility of the JCPOA restoration, which seems to be closer than ever.
Israel Prime Minister Yair Lapid also made a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to warn him that Israel will do whatever is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“I just spoke with my friend, President @EmmanuelMacron. We discussed the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Iran cannot be allowed to endlessly buy time and receive more concessions while it advances its nuclear program and spreads terror worldwide.” Lipid wrote in a tweet this Wednesday.
Israel has previously threatened to take military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities.
