The US State Department on Friday said it appreciated the European Union’s efforts to revive talks to restore the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, but said there was no agreement yet and no certainty one could be reached.
“At this point, a deal is far from certain. Iran must decide whether to insist on external terms and whether to quickly strike a deal that we believe serves the interests of all sides. We and our partners are ready and have been for some time. It’s up to Iran now,” a US State Department spokesman said on condition of anonymity. The EU’s foreign policy chief said on Friday he believes there has been enough progress in consultations between his envoy and Iranian officials in Tehran this week to resume nuclear talks after two months of deadlock.
Talks to revive Iran’s deal with world powers have been on hold since March, largely because of Tehran’s insistence that Washington remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from its list of designated foreign terrorist organizations. Asked if Iran is still demanding the delisting of the IRGC, which controls the elite armed and intelligence forces Washington accuses of a global terror campaign, the State Department spokesman replied, “We don’t negotiate publicly, but the bottom line is.” there is no deal and no certainty.” (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Saint Paul, Minnesota; Editing by Chris Reese and Angus MacSwan)
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