US Iran Envoy: "Possibility of Resuming Nuclear Deal Restoration Talks Decreasing... Decisive Phase"

"Can't Revive the Dead... Pressure to Resume Negotiations
Increased Possibility of US Military Action if Talks Break Down"

[Image source=Reuters News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. special envoy for Iran has said that the possibility of resuming negotiations to restore the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) is gradually fading, urging the Iranian government to quickly restart talks. This is interpreted as a warning that if negotiations ultimately fail, the U.S. may pursue a hardline policy toward Iran, considering military options rather than diplomatic ones.

On the 25th (local time), Robert Malley, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, stated at a press conference, "Efforts to see if the Iran nuclear deal can be revived are at a critical stage," adding, "We have already experienced several months of negotiation hiatus, and the official reasons Iran has given for this gap are increasingly losing credibility." He continued, "You cannot bring a corpse back to life," warning, "If Iran continues to refuse negotiations, the opportunity for talks will be lost, and the U.S. will have no choice but to focus on other options."

Although Special Envoy Malley did not specify what measures the U.S. would take if restoration talks are halted, the international community is reportedly considering the possibility of military options. According to foreign media such as the Associated Press, since indirect talks with Iran were suspended in June, the U.S. government has increasingly and openly discussed alternative options, which foreign media interpret as signaling the possibility of military action. Since the suspension of the Iran nuclear deal restoration talks in June, the U.S. and Iran have been at a stalemate over disagreements, making it difficult to even set a date for resumption.

However, there is growing hope that the meeting scheduled for the 27th between representatives of Iran and the European Union (EU) could be a breakthrough. On the 27th, Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran’s chief negotiator for the nuclear deal and Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, is expected to visit Brussels, Belgium, to meet Enrique Mora, the EU External Action Service’s Deputy Secretary-General who has been coordinating the JCPOA negotiations.

Both the EU and the U.S. have expressed optimism about this meeting. Peter Stano, spokesperson for the European Commission, stated, "We will spare no effort to ensure that all parties resume negotiations." Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, also emphasized in a statement shortly after the news, "The United States supports the EU’s efforts to restore the Iran nuclear deal negotiations."