'Iran’s review of US response to EU nuclear deal text underway, will conclude by weekend'

An expert review of the response that Iran has received from the United States to Tehran's amendments to the EU nuclear deal text is underway, and will conclude by the weekend.

Iran's Nour News, affiliated with the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said in a tweet on Sunday that the detailed examination of Washington’s response to Tehran regarding the EU’s coordinating ideas is still ongoing at expert levels.

It added that the process will continue at least until the end of Friday.

On Wednesday, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kan’ani, announced that Iran had received the US’s response to Tehran’s proposals aimed at resolving the remaining issues in the talks on sanctions removal and revival of the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Read more: 

• Most countries involved in JCPOA talks agree with EU proposal: Borrell         

Kan’ani said the response was received through the European Union coordinator Enrique Mora, adding that a "careful review" has already commenced. 

“A careful review of the US opinions has started, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will announce its views in this context after having completed the review,” the Iranian diplomat pointed out.

Four days of intense talks between representatives of Iran and the five remaining parties to the JCPOA ended on August 8 with a modified text proposed by the EU on the table.

The talks came after a five-month hiatus as the US negotiators failed to overcome their indecisiveness.  

Iran submitted its response to the EU draft proposal on August 15, a week after the latest round of talks wrapped up. After submitting its response, Tehran urged Washington to show "realism and flexibility" in order to reach an agreement.

However, it took almost ten days for the Biden administration to submit its response to Iran's comments on the EU draft.

On August 22, Kan’ani said Tehran had responded to the EU’s draft proposal and was awaiting Washington's response.

“Iran has participated seriously, constructively, and responsibly in the negotiations, responded to the proposals of the European side in a timely manner, acted innovatively, and showed the necessary flexibility for the conclusion of an agreement," the spokesman said at a press conference.

“But what matters now is the procrastination of the American side in providing an answer. The US government is responsible for the JCPOA status quo and the non-implementation of the accord. We can move to the next stage in case the US government shows serious willpower and acts responsibly in its promises and actions,” he added.

His remarks came hours after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, addressing a university event in the northern Spanish city of Santander, said the response provided by Iran “was reasonable,” expressing “hope that this response will allow us to complete the negotiations.”

Read more:

• EU foreign policy chief says Iran's response to bloc's proposal on JCPOA revival 'reasonable'

"There was a proposal from me as coordinator of the negotiations... and a response from Iran that I considered reasonable. It was transmitted to the United States, which has not yet responded formally," he said, adding that a possible meeting on reviving the JCPOA could be held "this week".

The United States, under former president Donald Trump, abandoned the deal in May 2018 and reinstated crippling sanctions that the agreement had lifted.

The talks to salvage the agreement kicked off in the Austrian capital in April last year, months after Joe Biden succeeded Trump, to examine the potential of the US return to the deal and removal of sanctions.

Despite notable progress, the US indecisiveness and procrastination caused multiple interruptions in the marathon talks.      

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