US Sets to Open Diplomatic Talk with Iran – US Secretary

The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken on Tuesday said, “the path to diplomacy is open right now” with Iran over its 2015 nuclear deal.

Blinken did not address whether the Biden administration has had any direct engagement with Iranian officials or not.

Blinken had told National Radio that “The path to diplomacy is open right now. Iran is still a way away from being in compliance (with the deal). So, we'll have to see what it does,” this was based on the transcript provided by the broadcaster.

Blinken pointed to Joe Biden’s public stance when he was asked if there were moves behind the camera to resume direct diplomacy with Iran. He added that if Iran resumes compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, the United States would do the same thing.

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“The president's been very clear publicly, repeatedly, about where we stand. And we'll see what, if any, reaction Iran has to that,” he said.

He further said, “well, at some point, presumably, if there's going to be any engagement on this, that would have to require diplomacy. That's what we're in the business of.”

Former US President, Donald Trump, in 2018 abandoned the nuclear deal, limiting Iran's uranium enrichment activity, making it harder for the country to develop nuclear weapons.

Tehran has long been denied having its nuclear arms ambition fulfilled, in turn for the easing of US and other sanctions.

Trump has reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran’s economy when he left the deal in 2018.

Tehran responded by breaching the deal’s key limits, enriching uranium to 20% above 3.67% cap but below the needed 90% for weapons, it expanded its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, using advanced centrifuges for enrichment.

The Arab country has told the United Nations nuclear watchdog that it will return its cooperation with it in a week, this ratcheted protests against US sanctions still choking its economy.