BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 19. Iran should have a direct discussion with the US on the nuclear program and other issues, an Iranian analyst on international affairs, Hasan Beheshtipour said, Trend reports.
“Recently, it is reported that indirect discussions between Iran and the US have been conducted through the mediation of other countries,” Beheshtipour said.
He added that it is possible to get a better result if there is a direct discussion between the two countries.
According to Beheshtipour, discussions with 3 European countries (the UK, France and Germany) regarding Iran's nuclear program cannot be decisive. Because after the US withdrew the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, European countries tried to activate the INSTEX mechanism and establish economic relations with Iran for about 1 year. But it didn't work.
"The economic activity and economy of the US is so extensive that practically no company entered into cooperation with Iran after the US imposed new sanctions on Iran. Even the Chinese and Russian companies, which are considered to be the main partners of Iran, were among the first companies to leave Iran after the withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA. This is the reality," the analyst stressed.
As for Iran holding discussions with European countries, Beheshtipour noted that there is no harm in holding discussions with these countries. But it is quite clear that Iran's main problems are with the US. That’s why, the problems between Iran and the US can be solved through direct discussions between the two countries.
Recently, discussions between Iran and the US have been held indirectly through various mediators, including Oman.
On June 13, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani noted that he had a discussion with his counterparts from 3 European countries about Iran's nuclear program.
In January 2016, JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 that a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed.
On May 8, 2019, Iran announced that it had ceased fulfilling its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal.
Iran announced that it will enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and will not mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA on Sept.5. On Nov. 5, 2019, Iran announced that it took the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.
On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA.
On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany), and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iran's assets abroad.
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