Iran nuclear negotiations to resume in Vienna
Nuclear negotiations with Iran will resume in Vienna today after negotiations to restore the Vienna Agreement were interrupted by Iran’s June presidential election.
Under the chairmanship of the EU Foreign Affairs Representative, Josep Borrell, diplomats from China, Russia, France, the Great Britain, and Germany will meet with Iranian representatives. Iran has so far made unrealistic demands and dismissed the UN nuclear watchdog, Israel has threatened to attack Iranian nuclear facilities and America has warned that they are prepared to walk on the deal.
Both Washington and Tehran seem prepared to risk failure, and perhaps much worse, and aggression between both sides is growing. Military action in Iran is on the table for the US, but not likely to occur any time soon, and the US might tighten sanctions or authorize sabotage operations against Iran’s nuclear program.
Despite this aggressive posture, the Biden administration is unlikely to abandon ongoing diplomatic talks even if reinstating the original Vienna Agreement is unfeasible. However, there has been considerable discussion of proposing an interim deal. This may take a variety of forms, including granting Iran sanctions relief in exchange for a freeze or partial reversal of some of its nuclear developments.
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