The US administration refused to specify exactly when Washington might respond to Tehran's proposals to restore the Iran nuclear deal.
Speaking at a regular briefing for reporters on Wednesday, State Department press chief Ned Price said the US side is still considering Iranian proposals. Price recalled that they were received through the EU. "We are studying them. That's how it was yesterday (Tuesday - TASS). This is still the case today (Wednesday - TASS)," stressed the spokesperson of the US Department of State.
However, he did not explain when to expect a response from the US government. Asked if he could disclose when Washington intends to give the EU its views on Iran's response, Price said: "No. At least I can't in public." According to the diplomat, the US is holding "consultations with the EU" as well as "European allies about the way forward" - toward a possible restoration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in its entirety.
In addition, Price admitted that the US executive branch will actually have to enlist the support of lawmakers to ensure the restoration of the JCPOA and its further implementation. "We understand that the [US] Congress also needs to be a partner in this effort," the State Department official said.
The JCPOA was signed with Iran in 2015 to address the crisis over its nuclear development by the permanent five of the UN Security Council and Germany. Previous US President Donald Trump decided in 2018 to withdraw from the arrangement. Current US leader Joe Biden has repeatedly signaled a willingness to bring Washington back into the nuclear deal with Tehran. Russia, Britain, Germany, China, the United States and France have been negotiating with Iran in Vienna since last April to restore the JCPOA to its original form.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS on Wednesday that work in the Vienna format to restore the JCPOA is almost over. Not all issues have been closed yet, but intensive contacts along various lines are ongoing, the deputy foreign minister said. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna, said on Tuesday that a ministerial meeting of the Joint Commission on the Iranian nuclear deal could take place this week or next week as part of the final stage of talks on restoring the deal. The commission includes Russia, Britain, Germany, Iran, China and France. Prior to the withdrawal from the deal, the US was also a member.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS