“The current version of the text, and what they’re requesting, we’ll remove it,” the official said, noting that the US has repeatedly and consistently denied the request. If we’re close to an agreement, that’s why.”
The Iranian side has also withdrawn its request for the delisting of several companies linked to the IRGC, officials said.
“The president has been adamant and consistent not to remove Iran’s Revolutionary Guard from its terrorism designation,” the official added. But the official said, “Although we are closer to a deal than we were two weeks ago, the outcome remains uncertain as some gaps remain. will only accept
Another senior government official said progress from this point could be slow. But it looks to be gaining momentum from last year.
The policy is one of several foreign policy decisions by former President Donald Trump that Biden has maintained, and the Trump administration announced in 2019 that it was the “largest foreign policy” imposed after Trump withdrew the United States from the pact. The Biden administration, which has designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization as part of a “pressure campaign,” has also continued to impose new sanctions on Iran amid prolonged negotiations over the nuclear deal.
The United States feels that one major obstacle has been removed, but several others remain. These include Tehran’s desire to be compensated if a future U.S. president withdraws from the agreement, and a call to halt the International Atomic Energy Agency’s three-year investigation into his nuclear program. .
The official told CNN that the Biden administration’s position on these issues has not changed. Iran must explain to the IAEA why undeclared nuclear material (trace of uranium) was found at Iranian sites in 2019. They made it clear that they cannot be detained and that they cannot promise compensation if the US president withdraws, the official said.
Politically, meanwhile, Republican opposition to a deal in the US remains strong, even if the IRGC’s delisting is not part of the deal. Opposition has grown in recent weeks with the Justice Department indicting an Iranian man for plotting to assassinate former national security adviser John Bolton and attacking writer Salman Rushdie, who Iranian officials have praised. It also claims to block any sanctions relief that Iran might gain by returning to the JCPOA.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told CNN, “Their deal will lift sanctions on the Iranian economy and allow Iran to hunt down and kill former US officials and dissidents in the US. Despite this, they are pushing hundreds of billions of dollars into the administration.” “We are dedicated to stopping and overturning this disastrous deal,” Cruz added.
For now, the U.S. is informally relaying feedback to European countries, a senior government official said. But the US has yet to formally respond to the EU and Iranian drafts, another administration official said.
“Like the Biden administration, they are doing their homework,” said one senior government official. “We are consulting with interagency experts and will get back to you when we have a response ready.”
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed to the report.
Source: www.cnn.com
