Rouhani’s Offer to Amend JCPOA Aimed at Breaking Deadlock: Iran

Iran’s Government Spokesman says the president’s offer to make “small changes” to the 2015 nuclear deal in return for the removal of US sanctions is aimed at breaking the current impasse.

“The conditions and issues we earlier raised are definitely still in place. Basically, the removal of sanctions and return to the terms of the deal are not conditions at all,” Ali Rabiei told reporters on Wednesday.

“What we say is that return to where you were. If they stop all the sanctions, and go back to the terms of the deal, then talks and dialogue would be possible,” he added.

“Even for building more trust and breaking the deadlock, the respected president has offered to make small changes to the JCPOA itself, so that the deadlock would be broken.”

“The president will make the offer there, but all of this hinges on their return to where they were. I once again emphasize: the sanctions are broken, stopped, and all parties return to the JCPOA,” he concluded.

Shortly after his speech, his office clarified that Iran’s ratification of the Additional Protocol as a small change to the JCPOA hinges on the US Congress’ ratification of the removal of all Iran sanctions and the nuclear deal.

Reuters on Tuesday quoted Rouhani as saying he is open to discuss small changes, additions or amendments to the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six major powers if the United States lifted sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic.

Later in the day, Parviz Esmaeili, the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian president, tweeted that what Reuters reported about Iran’s readiness for changes in the JCPOA was “not correct.”

“What is correct is (Iran’s) readiness to shorten the length of implementation of the JCPOA,” he tweeted.

Esmaeili explained that Iran was ready for the final stage of the JCPOA, namely the commitments planned for 2023, as already mentioned by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The presidential official noted that the ratification of the Additional Protocol by the Iranian Parliament could take place simultaneously with the ultimate lifting of sanctions by the US Congress, which would allow for negotiations within the framework of the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the UK, France, Germany, and the US).

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