This week, the Biden administration took its first steps in trying to jump start the process to reenter the Iran nuclear deal. Also, barring any changes, Iran is set to reduce the access of IAEA inspectors on Feb. 23rd. Please see our breakdown and analysis below:
Biden Administration Takes Three Steps Forward on Iran
Iran Welcomes One Step, Yet to Respond to Others; Regional Players Engage on Iran
After weeks of delay, the Biden administration took a flurry of steps on Thursday night, Feb. 18th, to jump start a JCPOA return. First, the State Department Spokesperson sent out a statement saying that, “the United States would accept an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss a diplomatic way forward on Iran’s nuclear program.”
To: President Elect Biden and the Biden administration
As experts on Iran, international relations and nonproliferation, we write to fully support the incoming Biden administration in its commitment to make a clean break from the Trump Administration’s failed Iran policy and maximum pressure campaign and return the U.S. to the diplomatic path and full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal.
In 2017, President Trump inherited an enviable position on Iran. Iran’s nuclear program was no longer a source of major security concern, while there was a prospect to broaden diplomatic negotiations to address pressing security concerns in Syria and Yemen. Instead, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA over the objections of close allies while Iran was still compliant with the accord. This self-inflicted wound set the U.S. on a destructive path with no easy offramp. The U.S. and Iran moved to the precipice of war twice, Iran expanded its