BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 25. Western countries, especially the US, do not consider the revival of the JCPOA's nuclear program as a pressing issue, said Sasan Karimi, an Iranian analyst on international affairs, Trend reports.
He explained that the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the developments in the Middle East, and the protests that erupted in Iran in September last year have overshadowed Iran’s nuclear issue.
Karimi also said that the Western parties (the US, the UK, France, and Germany) were keen to revive the JCPOA in mid-2021, but the change of administration in Iran and its new demands spoiled the chance to reach a deal. Now, the Iranian side wants to resume the nuclear talks, but the other parties are not interested.
The analysts noted that, at present, Oman, Qatar, and other countries are not playing an active role as mediators to revive the JCPOA.
He added that Iran and the US are in a state of equilibrium with various options (escalating the situation, advancing the nuclear program, imposing more sanctions, etc.).
Karimi speculated that the US might be turning a blind eye to some issues, such as Iran’s oil exports to China, which is a positive sign for Iran. However, he said that other problems, such as the inability to sell oil freely, the difficulty of transferring money to Iran, and the risky situation in the region, remain unresolved.
According to him, these problems discourage foreign companies from cooperating with Iran, prevent foreign investments in the country, and cause capital flight. He said that this is the harm inflicted on Iran by the current situation.
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).
However, 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 have affected Iranian oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
Iran is currently looking for various ways to resume discussions with the other parties regarding its nuclear program and eventually restore the JCPOA.
In discussions on the 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.
In late 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to implement a strategic plan to tackle the sanctions, citing the non-implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear deal. As a result, the control mechanism of the IAEA decreased by 20–30 percent.