Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi called on the United States to demonstrate its commitment to reviving the 2015 nuclear pact during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly. Raisi stated that the U.S. violated the agreement and the principle of good faith by exiting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He emphasized the need for the U.S. to prove its goodwill and determination in order to move forward.
The JCPOA was abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018, who believed it was too favorable to Iran. As a result, harsh U.S. sanctions were reimposed on Iran, leading Tehran to gradually violate the nuclear limits set by the agreement. However, since taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden has attempted to negotiate a revival of the pact, which would involve Iran restricting its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Despite months of negotiations, progress has been stalled since September of last year, with both sides accusing each other of making unreasonable demands. Raisi stressed that the U.S. must build trust and demonstrate its genuine willingness to fulfill its commitments in order to move forward.
Efforts have been made by U.S. and European officials to find ways to curb Iran’s nuclear activities following the breakdown of talks last year. In an attempt to ease tensions, a Qatar-mediated deal was reached between Tehran and Washington, resulting in the exchange of detainees and the release of $6 billion of Iran’s funds in South Korea.
Tensions between the United States and Iran have been further strained by the imposition of sanctions over Iran’s handling of protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurdish woman. During Raisi’s speech, Israel’s envoy to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, walked out of the General Assembly hall while holding Amini’s picture, expressing solidarity with the Iranian people. Iran and Israel have a long history of conflict and mutual allegations of sabotage and assassination plots.
In conclusion, President Raisi called on the United States to demonstrate its goodwill and determination to revive the nuclear pact. The article highlights the history of the JCPOA, the stalled negotiations, and the recent tensions between the U.S., Iran, and Israel.
