Iran Receives US Response on Draft Deal to Restore JCPOA

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran has received a response from the United States on Tehran’s comments regarding a draft deal to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Wednesday.

"A detailed consideration of the comments of the American side has begun, and after this consideration, the Islamic Republic of Iran will inform the coordinator (from the EU) of its views on this matter," Kanaani said in a statement, published by the ministry.

Iran sent its comments regarding the JCPOA to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday. Brussels had said that Tehran’s response was constructive.

In a separate development, the US State Department has confirmed that it has sent a response to the European Union (EU) regarding the latter's proposal to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement.

"We received Iran’s comments on the EU’s proposed final text through the EU. Our review of those comments has now concluded. We have responded to the EU today," the State Department said in a statement that has been circulated on Twitter.

In April 2021, the parties to the agreement, together with the United States, began negotiations to restore the nuclear deal, working in Vienna. This came after in 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and implemented hard-line policies against Tehran, prompting Iran to largely abandon its obligations under the accord.

In 2015, Iran signed the Iran nuclear deal with the P5+1 group of countries (the United States, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom - plus Germany) and the European Union. The deal required Iran to scale back its nuclear program and severely downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting the arms embargo five years after the deal's adoption.