U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield. (UN photo)

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED  NATIONS  –  NEW  YORK  –   U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the diplomatic process currently underway remains the best approach to limit Iran’s nuclear program.  The ambassador made the remarks at a UN Security Council briefing this week on Iran and Nuclear non-proliferation. She accused Tehran of “slow-walking” its nuclear diplomacy.  Negotiations are underway in Vienna to revive the deal after the US pulled out in 2018 under the Trump administration.  

“The United States continues to pursue the path of diplomacy to achieve a mutual return to full compliance with the JCPOA, and to address our full range of concerns with Iran. President Biden has been clear: He is prepared to return to U.S. compliance and to stay in compliance, so long as Iran does the same. We are fully prepared to lift sanctions inconsistent with our JCPOA commitments, which would allow Iran to receive the economic benefits of the deal. And we’re convinced that, if Iran approaches talks in Vienna with urgency and good faith, we can quickly reach and implement an understanding on mutual return. We cannot, however, allow Iran to accelerate its nuclear program and slow-walk its nuclear diplomacy.”

-U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield

The ambassador said she is sorry to report that  is exactly what appears to be happening at JCPOA talks in Vienna with Iran accelerating its nuclear program and taking its time on its nuclear diplomacy.  “Iran greeted the resumption of talks with new nuclear provocations and proceeded to stake out vague, unrealistic, maximalist, and unconstructive positions on both nuclear and sanctions issues in the talks. We made substantial progress over six rounds of talks this Spring, with all sides making difficult decisions. As all members of the P5+1 agree, the outcome of these negotiations is the only possible basis upon which to reach a conclusion. But now, Iran is seeking to reopen these compromises.”

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield added that “the simple truth is that, as Secretary (of State) Blinken has made clear, Iran is almost out of runway. There is a little time left, but Iran’s continued nuclear advancements and their lack of urgency in the talks are hollowing out the non-proliferation benefits that would be achieved by a mutual return to full JCPOA compliance.”  She said Iran’s continued nuclear escalations are inconsistent with its stated goal of returning to mutual compliance with the JCPOA.  “These escalations raise questions about Iran’s intentions, particularly given that the United States has made clear its willingness to lift all sanctions inconsistent with the JCPOA in the context of a mutual return to compliance.”

The Security Council meets twice each year to review implementation of the nuclear deal, which it endorsed in a council resolution. The JCPOA provided Iran with sanctions relief in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.  Iran strongly denies seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran signed the JCPOA in 2015 alongside China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, together with Germany and the European Union.