“You see, they cannot hold negotiations during the tenure of the [incumbent US President Joe] Biden [administration] to bring to fruition efforts to return to the JCPOA,” said Behzad Nabavi in an interview published by news website Entakhab.ir.
He praised former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for “being able to preserve the JCPOA during the tenure of [former US President Donald] Trump.”
Nabavi added Biden took power toward the end of Rouhani’s term in office as President, adding negotiators were ready to resume talks over the nuclear deal.
“The revival of the JCPOA was close at hand, but they did not allow it to happen,” said Nabavi, without specifying who he exactly meant by “they.”
“Apparently, Mr. Rouhani had said: Allow my administration to sign an agreement, then you will be able to reap the benefits,” noted Nabvai, adding, “But Rouhani’s proposal was not accepted.”
Talks over the revival of the JCPOA have stalled for months with Iran accusing the US and some of allies of lack of the necessary resolve to that end.
The US withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 under former President Donald Trump.