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Ex-MP says Iran should put taboos aside, work to reduce tensions with US

Nuclear Program Materials 16 September 2023 12:48 (UTC +04:00)
Ex-MP says Iran should put taboos aside, work to reduce tensions with US
Elnur Baghishov
Elnur Baghishov
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 16. Iran and the US may agree on a new text on Iran's nuclear program in the future, a former head of Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said, Trend reports.

Ex-MP added that recently, Iran and the US have been able to solve some of the previous problems by taking certain steps. The mutual release of prisoners, the unblocking of Iran's frozen assets abroad, and the taking of steps to resolve problematic issues such as the management of tension that may occur in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman show that Iran and the US are moving in a new direction.

In August 2023, an indirect agreement was reached between Iran and the US with the mediation of Qatar. Based on the agreement, 5 US citizens detained in Iran will be released. Iran's assets frozen in other countries will be released.

"Both countries have come to the conclusion that there are only two sides in the matter of Iran's nuclear program: Iran and the US. All other parties are mediators. Of course, these mediators got involved by Iran itself. Because for Iran, a direct discussion with the US has become a taboo," Falahatpisheh noted.

He said that all discussions regarding Iran's nuclear program were conducted by those mediators, and all parties pursued their own interests within the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

"In my opinion, Iran should reduce tensions with the US in various fields. Iran should set aside taboos and act in the direction of sorting out relations. The reduction of tension creates conditions for Iran's crude oil export and bringing the money from the export to the country," he said.

On January 16, 2016, Iran's nuclear program triggered the creation of the JCPOA between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany).

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 and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.

On January 5, 2020, Iran has announced that it will not fulfill any of its obligations under the nuclear agreement.

In discussions on nuclear program, Iran is mainly trying to achieve the abolition of sanctions imposed by the US and Western countries, the removal of its funds frozen abroad, and the abolition of the restriction on the export of crude oil. In return, the US and Western countries want Iran not to acquire an atomic bomb, to keep its nuclear program under control, and to reduce the level of uranium enrichment.

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