US warns of additional measures against Iran if troubled talks over nuclear program fail

The US has threatened additional measures against Iran if diplomacy fails to resuscitate the 2015 Nuclear Deal. Following a hiatus of more than five months, negotiations on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal resumed in Vienna last week. However, the US diplomats walked out of the deal claiming that the Islamic Republic wasn’t serious and had not stood firm with the concessions made by its former president Hassan Rouhani. The deal, signed in 2015 between Iran and other major world powers, including the United States, France, Britain, China, Russia, and Germany (P5+1), saw Washington lifting economic sanctions against Tehran and in return, the Islamic Republic agreed to bring down its uranium enrichment programme. 

Later, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, spokesperson for US State Department Ned Price said that Washington was contemplating an alternate option if democracy fails. "I wouldn’t want to speak to contingency planning, I wouldn’t want to speak to what we might be contemplating if the path for diplomacy towards a mutual return to compliance isn’t viable in the near term but we are discussing those alternatives, we are discussing those options with our close partners, with our close allies and that includes with the Israelis," Price said. It is imperative to note here that the US and Israel have together formed a  Strategic Group’ to counter Iran. 

EU optimistic about nuclear deal

As the talks resumed last week, European Union diplomat Enrique Mora expressed optimism and said, "I feel positive that we can be doing important things for the next weeks." However, Tehran blames Washington for not complying with the provisions of the deal. It is imperative to note that even before the negotiations resumed in the Austrian capital, Biden ad lifted several sanctions in a show of his willingness to salvage the deal which his predecessor had broken. 

"The 7th round JCPOA talks continue on Thursday (December 9)  in Vienna after consultations in and among capitals. A Joint Commission and several bilateral and multilateral contacts will take place," Mora said in an online statement. 

(Image: Amb_Ulyanov/Twitter)

(With inputs from agencies)