NEW YORK: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated on Wednesday that the United States remains open to exploring diplomatic paths with Iran.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Blinken emphasized that there is currently no agreement on the table with Iran, but expressed the willingness to continue diplomatic efforts and urged Iran to avoid actions that could further escalate tensions.
Diplomatic Solution to Revive Iran Nuclear Deal
“There is no agreement in the offing, even as we continue to be willing to explore diplomatic paths,” Blinken stated. The Biden administration has consistently advocated for a diplomatic solution to revive the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which former President Trump withdrew in May 2018.
In recent months, Iran and the P4+1 countries (the remaining parties to the JCPOA) have engaged in multiple rounds of talks in Vienna, Austria, aimed at reviving the nuclear agreement. Iran has insisted that it will fully comply with the JCPOA once the illegal sanctions imposed by the US are lifted.
However, the negotiations hit a roadblock in September 2022 due to the US refusal to lift sanctions on Tehran, while other Western powers showed limited responsiveness to Iran’s demands.
