Published 14:01 IST, February 19th 2021
US to attend 'informal meet' with Iran as Nuclear deal deadline nears end
US President Joe Biden’s administration, on February 18, offered talks with Iran led European allies and reversed two largely symbolic steps against Tehran.
- World News
- 2 min read
The American administration, on February 18, agreed to attend a meeting, led by its European allies, that would involve Iran, as it sought to salvage a nuclear deal on a brink of a collapse. In a desperate move to revive US' broken ties with Iran, American state secretary accepted EU political director’s proposal of holding an “informal meeting” between the P5+1 States and Iran. The virtual meeting comes just three days before Tehran could completely block UN nuclear inspector’s access to its territories as a result of America's failure to wave off hard-hitting sanctions.
US’ participation in the P5+1 meet was confirmed by State Department spokesman Ned Price, who told reporters in the White House that the US had accepted an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss a diplomatic way forward on Iran's nuclear program. The P5 states represent -China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States- the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council whereas +1 represents Germany.
In 2015, the P5+1 nations signed the JCPOA deal with Iran which allowed Tehran to scaled back its nuclear or uranium enrichment program in exchange for promises of economic relief. However, Donald Trump withdrew the US from the pact in 2018, calling the structure of the deal "rotten". The Islamic Republic then retaliated by reducing its compliance with the deal.
German chancellor talks to Rouhani
Separately, in a telephonic conversation held with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel emphasized the “high interest” of Germany and the other JCPOA signatories, France, Britain, Russia, and China in maintaining the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, Germany’s foreign affairs office informed on February 17. German Chancellor Merkel told the Iranian leader that it was “now time for positive signals that create trust and raise the chances of a diplomatic solution,” the German office further stated in the document. “She expressed her concern that Iran continues to fail to meet its obligations under the nuclear agreement,” Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said in an official statement.
Updated 13:58 IST, February 19th 2021