JCPOA

The United States is prepared to talk to Iran about both countries returning to compliance with a 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told European allies on Thursday.

Iran Press/America: Antony Blinken told his French, German and British counterparts — in a video conference on Thursday that the US is prepared to engage in discussions with Iran in an attempt to reach an agreement on returning to full compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, according to a joint readout of the call.

"Secretary Blinken reiterated that, as President Biden has said, if Iran comes back into strict compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA, the United States will do the same and is prepared to engage in discussions with Iran toward that end," the joint statement said.

During the call, Blinken and European leaders agreed to hold future consultations on Iran with the foreign ministers of Russia and China.

They recognized the role of the High Representative of the European Union Josef Borrel as coordinator of the nuclear deal Joint Commission.

According to Reuters, London, Paris, and Berlin welcomed Biden’s intention to return to diplomacy with Iran. But Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif fired back that it was for Washington to make the first move, saying: "Instead of putting the onus on Iran they must abide by own commitments and demand an end to Trump's legacy of economic terrorism against Iran."

Iran began reducing its commitments under the JCPOA after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal and reimposed harsh economic sanctions against Iran.

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