According to Robert Malle, Washington’s special envoy for Iran, Iran’s crackdown on protesters and the sale of drones to Russia have resulted in the United States’ focus on reviving the nuclear deal. Mali insisted to reporters in Paris that the United States would leave time open “when and if” to resume diplomacy, but for the time being, Washington would maintain its policy of sanctions and pressure.
Since September, talks between Iran and international powers to restart the 2015 accord have stalled. After it appeared that all sides were on the verge of an agreement, Western countries accused Iran of making irrational demands.
“If these talks are not happening, it is because of the situation in Iran and everything that has happened since (September),” Malley said.
“Our focus is not on an agreement that is not moving forward, but on what is happening in Iran… This popular movement and the brutal crackdown by the regime against protesters. This is the sale of armed drones by Iran to Russia… and the liberation of our hostages,” he said, referring to three American citizens held in Iran.
This was followed by anti-government protests in September mahsa aminiThe 22-year-old died while being caught by the police. Iran’s human rights violations as well as in response to Drone sales to MoscowThe European Union, the US, Canada and the UK have imposed sanctions.
Iran continues its nuclear program, with hundreds more sophisticated centrifuges installed. The devices enrich uranium, allowing the country to enrich it far more than the 2015 agreement allowed. Iran began to break those terms in 2019, in response to the US withdrawal under then-President Donald Trump in 2018.
The 2015 agreement restricted Iran’s uranium enrichment activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions, making it more difficult for Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. Iran claims it has no desire to acquire nuclear weapons.
Malley declined to specify how long Washington would tolerate the current situation, but said the country was prepared to use other means if diplomacy did not succeed.
“If Iran takes the initiative to cross new thresholds in its nuclear program, the response will certainly be different and coordinated with that of our European allies,” Malle said without elaborating.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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