The US Special Representative for Iran, Robert Malley, has shared America’s “growing concern” about Iran’s alleged nuclear advancement, as he declared that talks over reviving the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal are in a critical phase.
Speaking on a call with reporters on Monday, Malley laid out Washington’s approach to nuclear discussions with Iran, as Western nations seek to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018.
Malley visited the Middle East last week to engage in talks on the matter in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar before visiting Europe to meet with senior diplomats from most of the signatories of the original accord, France, Germany and the UK.
Following his meetings, the US envoy claimed that nuclear talks are “at a critical phase,” where Iran, according to Malley, has to choose between continuing to delay talks, coming back to the table with unrealistic demands, or working with signatories to revive the agreement.
While saying that is a “growing concern over the pace and direction of Iran’s nuclear progress,” the diplomat reiterated:“the window for diplomacy is never going to be closed.”
The comments come after Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani confirmed that he will meet with the European Union’s coordinator Enrique Mora on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Abraham Raisi has called on the US to lift “all oppressive sanctions,” imposed after America pulled out of the deal, telling the United Nations that its recent nuclear activity is reversible if the White House ends the measures imposed on Tehran.
Earlier this month, Raisi reiterated this stance, urging Western nations to engage in “result-orientated negotiations” and calling on America to “remove unjust sanctions” to show it’s seriously committed to reviving the deal.
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