The Biden administration continues to maintain subtle contact with Iran over various issues and might be exploring a limited nuclear deal, Israel Hayom has learned after inquiring on the matter with the US State Department.
A State Department spokesperson said the US has various means of communication with Iran on issues – such as on the release of imprisoned US citizens – but would not go into detail, the Zionist media noted.
According to the report, the State Department spokesperson said that the JCPOA has not been on the agenda for several months and that it was no longer the main focus of the administration.
However, the State Department would not respond to a question on whether there are other backchannel talks with Iran on various other forms of deals that are not the full restoration of the JCPOA, the Zionist media reported, adding that although the department noted that it has means to communicate with Iran on various issues, this could have been in reference to the humanitarian channels through Switzerland.
The talks to salvage the JCPOA kicked off in the Austrian capital of Vienna in April 2021, with the intention of examining Washington’s seriousness in rejoining the deal and removing anti-Iran sanctions. The negotiations have been at a standstill since August due to Washington’s insistence on its hard-nosed position of not removing all the sanctions that were slapped on the Islamic Republic by the previous US administration. Iran maintains it is necessary for the other side to offer some guarantees that it will remain committed to any agreement that is reached.
MNA/PR
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