While Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said he hoped the nuclear deal would be revived, Tehran has stepped up pressure on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to close its investigation into uranium traces at Iranian sites that were not reported to United Nations (UN) inspectors during the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal. An Iranian official told Reuters news agency that closing the investigation was a “red line for Iran’s Supreme Leader”.
At the end of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague, Josep Borrell said, according to AFP:
“We hope that in the coming days we will not lose this momentum and we will be able to reach an agreement. There is obviously common ground. We have an agreement that I think takes into account everyone’s interests.”
On August 8, the EU submitted a ‘final text’ to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. Former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal because it did not address Iran’s regional activities and ballistic missile program.
Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, ran for president promising to revive the deal, saying it was the best way to limit Iran’s nuclear activities. The final European proposal calls for an easing of sanctions on Iran. This would allow Iran to resell its oil in exchange for limiting its nuclear program.
Iran and the United States have responded by proposing a number of amendments to this proposal. Israel has intensified its pressure on Western countries to block the deal. A White House official said Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
A private statement from Lapid’s office said the two discussed “the negotiations by the major powers for a nuclear deal with Iran and efforts to end Iran’s attempt to acquire nuclear weapons.
News source: Paris/Sharq al-Awsat
