United Nations – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Tuesday called on the United States to prove its “goodwill and determination” to revive Tehran’s 2015 nuclear pact, as indirect talks between the two sides have stalled.
Raisi, in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, said that the US must build trust to demonstrate its good intentions and genuine willingness to fulfill its commitments and conclude the path.
The nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed in 2015 between Iran and six world powers – the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China. Under the deal, Iran agreed to restrict its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
However, the US withdrew from the deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, who argued that it was too generous to Iran. In response, Iran began to gradually violate the terms of the deal.
Indirect talks between the US and Iran to revive the deal have been ongoing since last April, but they have stalled since last September. Both sides have accused each other of demanding excessive concessions.
Raisi said that the US must now prove its goodwill and determination to revive the deal. He also said that Iran is ready to return to full compliance with the deal if the US lifts all sanctions.
The US has said that it is willing to return to the deal, but it has also said that Iran must first return to full compliance.
The future of the JCPOA remains uncertain. However, Raisi’s speech suggests that Iran is still willing to negotiate with the US. It is hoped that the two sides can find a way to overcome their differences and revive the deal, which is seen as the best way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Israel Walks Out of UNGA Hall During Raisi’s Speech
Immediately after Raisi began his speech, Israel’s envoy to the UN, Gilad Erdan, marched out of the General Assembly hall while waving a picture of Mahsa Amini, the young Iranian Kurdish woman who died in police custody in September, sparking nationwide protests.
Erdan said that he left the speech to make it clear that the State of Israel stands by the Iranian people.
Iran and Israel have been locked in a shadow war for decades, with mutual allegations of sabotage and assassination plots.
