Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has expressed that while the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) remains a solid foundation for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, some aspects of the agreement have become outdated. In an interview with IRIB TV, Araghchi explained that Iran is open to returning to the JCPOA framework but acknowledged that certain provisions no longer align with the country’s current needs.
“We can return to the JCPOA framework,” Araghchi stated, adding that the country’s focus is on future talks rather than dwelling on past negotiations. He emphasized that a potential agreement depends on whether mutual understanding can be reached with European partners and other JCPOA participants, stressing that any new terms must respect Iran’s strategic interests.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran remains interested in the removal of sanctions, but only if such measures do not compromise its national priorities. His comments come as diplomatic efforts to revive the nuclear deal have intensified.
On September 2, Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), expressed optimism about meeting Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the country’s nuclear program. Grossi, who has worked closely with Araghchi in the past during the drafting of the JCPOA, looks forward to continuing constructive dialogue with Tehran.
The Nuclear Deal
The JCPOA, signed in 2015 by Iran and a group of international mediators including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, and China, sought to resolve tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. Western nations had accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, leading to sanctions. However, in 2018, then-US President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement, triggering new tensions.
President Joe Biden has signaled a desire to bring the US back into the agreement, and negotiations involving all parties resumed in April 2021. Despite the progress, the latest round of talks in Vienna in November 2022 ended without a breakthrough, according to Grossi. Iran remains hopeful that future negotiations will yield positive results within a revised framework.
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Based on materials from TASS