Saed News: According to Individuals Familiar with the Talks Between Tehran and Washington, Iran and the United States Are Trying to Establish a Political Framework for a New Agreement on Tehran’s Nuclear Program, While Many Important Details Still Need to Be Negotiated.
According to Saed News, individuals familiar with the Tehran-Washington talks report that Iran and the United States are working to establish a political framework for a new agreement regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, while many important details still remain to be negotiated.
The effort to reach a political framework on Iran’s nuclear program is in some ways similar to the 2013 interim agreement, which served as a precursor to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the Obama administration. The 2013 deal included limited sanctions relief for Iran and steps to restrict its nuclear program.
According to a senior U.S. official, there is no indication that either side intends to include confidence-building measures similar to those in previous talks within the proposed framework this time. The goal is to reach an understanding on the key points that would form the basis of a final agreement.
Such a framework, as a roadmap toward a deal, could raise concerns in Washington and Israel, especially fears that Iran may use the opportunity to continue its nuclear activities without committing to a final agreement. Reaching the 2015 accord took 18 months of grueling negotiations, and there is no guarantee that current talks will lead to a deal.
Since the resumption of talks on April 12, Iranian officials have repeatedly proposed establishing a framework as a step toward a new agreement. This framework could include Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program, the requirement for a strict inspection regime to ensure Iran is not pursuing bomb-related activities, and Tehran’s commitment not to seek nuclear weapons.
