Iran has rejected European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell’s proposal for an informal meeting of the current signers of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran plus America, because the timing is “inappropriate.” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Feb. 28, that due to the recent positions and actions of the United States and three European countries, the Islamic Republic considers the time of the meeting as inappropriate, reported Mehr News. “The Biden administration still follows the failed policy of maximum pressure and the U.S. has not yet voiced its readiness to fulfill its obligations under the JCPOA and Resolution 2231,” Khatibzadeh said, and that necessary negotiations were held five years ago. “The path is clear. The United States must end its illegal and unilateral sanctions and return to its commitments. This does not require negotiation or a resolution in the Board of Governors.”
“While we are disappointed at Iran’s response, we remain ready to re-engage in meaningful diplomacy to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the nuclear deal commitments,” a White House spokesman said, according to Axios. “We will be consulting with our P5+1 partners on the best way forward,” the spokesman stated, referring to the other parties to the nuclear deal: Germany, plus the four other permanent UN Security Council members, China, Russia, the U.K., France.
