Where are the negotiators?
After returning to Vienna for the first time since March 7th to resume negotiations in June, negotiators are back in their respective capitals with no agreement reached.
Recent comments from negotiators:
December 5
Antony Blinken
U.S. Secretary of State
December 5
Nasser Kanaani
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman
December 4
Rob Malley
U.S. Special Envoy for Iran
October 17
Josep Borrell
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs
What are the known outstanding issues?
With the United States firmly rejecting Iran’s demand to remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from the State Department’s Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, Iran has shifted to an alternative request external to the JCPOA, demanding that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) drop its investigation of traces of nuclear material found at undeclared Iranian facilities. Iran’s latest response to the EU draft agreement reportedly only included the demand that the US will stick to a deal beyond 2024.
What are key concessions the U.S. has already agreed to?
NUCLEAR-RELATED:
JINSA estimated Iran’s nuclear breakout time would be 4.8-6.5 months until early 2026 under a new deal, at which point the JCPOA permits Iran to steadily shrink these timeframes further.
NON-NUCLEAR SANCTIONS:
The U.S. is prepared to rescind human rights and terrorism penalties – sanctions relief not required by the JCPOA – on key pillars of the Iranian regime, including the Supreme Leader and other top officials, as well as the Central Bank, National Development Fund and national oil and tanker companies.
Recent Statements from U.S. Officials
July 22
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chair
July 14
Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Senate Armed Services Committee Member
July 12
Sen. James Risch (R-ID)
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Ranking Member
June 19
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Member