Blinken Dodges Question of US Returning to Iran Talks

 

Iran is optimistic, but will US really participate

by Jason Ditz 

Posted onAugust 1, 2022CategoriesNewsTagsBlinken, Iran

Even though the US is constantly warning that time is running out for Iran talks, they sure don’t seem committed to participating in the talks. Pressed on the matter, Secretary of State Tony Blinken sidestepped the question of if the US was willing to return to talks at all.

Blinken said “it remains to be seen whether Iran is willing and able to move forward.” In other words, if no talks happen, he’s setting up Iran to take the blame, even though the EU has been courting Iran and getting very positive answers on Iran’s willingness to compromise.

Indeed, Iran says they remain “optimistic” about the deal after the EU set out a new proposed compromise to get talks restarted. Everything is in place for a deal to happen, except maybe for the US.

While everyone else is working to make the chance off a deal greater, the US announces a new round of sanctions against Iran. The US has unveiled several rounds of sanctions in recent weeks, proving they’re being “tough” on Iran, despite clearly hurting chances for diplomacy.

It’s been months since any process was made on the nuclear talks, and has come with the US repeatedly suggesting the talks are over. Though the EU has salvaged the talks several times in there, the US has never actually come back to the table.

https://news.antiwar.com/2022/08/01/blinken-dodges-question-of-us-returning-to-iran-talks/