WASHINGTON: The White House said on Friday that there should be no conditionality between the re-implementation of the Iran nuclear deal and verifying whether Tehran has upheld its obligations under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, recommended that there shouldn't be any conditions placed on the renewal of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and the conclusion of watchdog investigations.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Jean-Pierre referenced the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and inquiries into Iran's responsibilities under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) investigations, according to her, "are not political" and "are neither leverage or negotiating chips."
"We steadfastly defend the independence of the IAEA. Returning to the JCPOA without any outstanding safeguards would be preferable "said the press secretary. Negotiations can be swiftly ended if the US takes the "correct decision," said Mohammad Marandi, a member of Iran's nuclear negotiating team, who made the comment on Friday.
"As promised, Iran has answered. The (US President Joe) Biden administration needs to make a serious choice now "Marandi tweeted a few hours after Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, claimed that Tehran had responded to Washington regarding a draught nuclear accord from the European Union.
In a statement, Kanaani said that "the submitted document has a positive approach with a view to concluding the negotiations." The European Union notified the US State Department that it had received Iran's response (EU).
Some Western media sites cited a Department spokesman as saying, "We are studying it and will respond through the EU, but sadly it is not productive."
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