ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran responded to the “final” European Union text to restore the nuclear deal, state media reported on Tuesday saying disagreements between Washington and Tehran persist over three remaining issues despite nearing a return to the accord.
After some 16 months of EU-mediated talks between Iran and the US, Iranian state media said Tehran “responded to the latest draft deal proposed by the EU early on Tuesday,” while seeking Washington’s flexibility.
The Islamic republic once again called on the US to show flexibility, affirming that the deal's arrival is "closer than ever" given the US "accepts the requirements of a sustainable, reliable deal in action."
The EU submitted the “final” proposal to revive the nuclear deal last week.
Iran on Monday reiterated that its demands are not completely met in the proposal, but admitted that progress had been made while calling on all sides to respect Iran’s "red lines" and account for its interests.
While Washington has said it is ready to seal the deal, comments from Iran indicate that disagreements between parties are focused on "three issues, two of which have been verbally accepted by the US, but Iran insists on including them in the text."
The third issue in the text relates to ensuring that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) persists and that future US administrations will not be able to withdraw from the deal, according to IRNA, adding that the resolution of said issue depends on Washington's "realism" to convince Tehran.
Mohammed Marandi, an adviser to the Iranian delegation on the nuclear talks, said that "Iran has expressed its concerns, but solving the remaining issues is not so difficult."
The landmark nuclear accord is seemingly closer than ever to being restored after over a year of talks aimed at securing a mutual return to the deal from signatories.
The JCPOA was signed between Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, and the United States in 2015, offering Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program that it rapidly advanced following former US president Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the deal, sparking concerns that Iran is seeking to develop an atomic bomb.
However, Iran has repeatedly denied any allegations that it seeks to produce nuclear weapons.
