Doomed JCPOA Talks in Vienna?

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

On June 2, a fifth round of inconclusive JCPOA talks in Vienna ended.

On June 10, a sixth round will begin at a time when major issues remain unresolved.

It's because Biden regime hardliners have no intention of returning to the landmark nuclear deal as affirmed Security Council Res, 2231 — making it binding international and US constitutional law under its Supremacy Clause.

There's been no direct contact between Iran and US representatives in Vienna.

EU official Enrique Mora is coordinating indirect talks between their representatives.

Prospects for an equitable agreement — according to the rule of law — are virtually nil.

Days earlier, interventionist Blinken's spokesman Price said the Biden regime is "neither optimistic or pessimistic" about the prospect of success.

Representatives of E 3 countries Britain, France and Germany noted that the "most difficult decisions lie ahead" on intractable issues.

In late May, Blinken said the Biden regime aims to make the JCPOA "longer and stronger," adding:

It wants Iran's legitimate nuclear program with no military component "put…back in the box that we constructed (sic)."

On Tuesday, Iran's envoy to the international organizations in Vienna Kazem Gharibabadi denounced IAEA secretary general Rafael Grossi's unacceptable "attitude toward…cooperation with Iran, and ignorance of the level of the bilateral cooperation," adding:

"This can develop into an obstacle in the way of future interaction between the two sides."

In cahoots with anti-Iranian hardliners, Grossi unjustifiably claimed that the nuclear watchdog's ability to continue verifying Iran's legitimate nuclear program was jeopardized by what he called "lack of progress" (sic) in clarifying "questions" (sic) about alleged nuclear material in "undeclared locations" (sic).

Grossi earlier questioned Iran's legitimate nuclear activities based on phony information supplied by Mossad.

No country's nuclear program is more heavily monitored than Iran's, none more cooperative with the IAEA.

Nuclear armed and dangerous USA and Israel won't let IAEA inspectors anywhere near their "bomb" development and production facilities — the nuclear watchdog remaining silent on this issue.

In his latest report, Grossi failed to mention longstanding Iranian cooperation with the IAEA — in stark contrast to US/Israeli obstructionism.

According to Iran's Gharibabadi, Grossi's latest "report is neither reliable because it is based on unreliable sources, nor is it convincible since it does not reflect the full aspect of the cooperation and the achievements that have been made," adding:

"Constructive cooperation requires a positive environment as well as avoidance of prejudgment and expression of bogus concerns."

Commenting on the above, Price defied reality by falsely accusing Iran of failing to cooperate with the IAEA (sic), adding:

"(W)e are deeply concerned that Iran has yet to provide the IAEA with the information that the agency needs to resolve questions regarding its potential undeclared nuclear material (sic)."

"Iran must comply fully and substantively with the IAEA and it must do so without further delay (sic)."

"(T)he longer Iran remains free from the most stringent verification and monitoring regime ever negotiated, the more potentially dangerous Iran's nuclear program could become (sic)."

Falsely accusing Iran of breaching "key" JCPOA provisions, Price ignored noncompliance by the US and E 3 since early May 2018 — in flagrant breach of international law.

He falsely accused Iran of shortening its "breakout" time to developing nukes its ruling authorities don't seek and want eliminated everywhere before they eliminate us.

What Price called an issue of "great urgency" doesn't exist.

Talks in Vienna have nothing to do with preventing Iran from "obtaining a nuclear weapon," as Price falsely claimed.

They have nothing to do with "ensur(ing) that Iran can never threaten the US, can never threaten Israel, can never threaten other countries in the region or elsewhere with a nuclear weapon."

They have everything to do with longstanding US war on the country by other means because it's free from US hegemonic control.

Throughout Islamic State history, it never attacked another country preemptively like the US, NATO and Israel do repeatedly.

Remarks by Price above — and Blinken earlier — showed the unlikelihood of an agreement between the Biden regime and Iran in Vienna — no matter how many rounds of talks are held.

After five rounds in Vienna, Iran's negotiating team head/Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said the following:

"(O)ut of 1,500 nuclear sanctions against Iranian bodies and individuals," the Biden regime agreed to lift "1,000 sanctions" alone…500" others remain in force. 

"In addition, primary and secondary sanctions still remain in place."

Further, no mechanism was agreed on to verify lifted US/Western sanctions on Iran.

At this time, what's most important to bring the US-dominated West into compliance with its JCPOA obligations — according to what's mandated by Security Council Res. 2231 — remains unresolved.

Araqchi stressed the following:

"It is not us but…the signatories to the JCPOA and the US that must…take their own difficult decisions and adapt themselves to the positions of the Islamic Republic," adding: 

"If this happens, we can naturally reach an agreement." 

"Otherwise, we will either have no agreement or hold more consultations."

Iran's "positions" and actions fully comply with its international obligations — what the US and E 3 breached.

Based on rhetoric and actions by Biden regime hardliners, it appears highly unlikely that a mutually acceptable agreement will be reached on key unresolved issues.

If impasse remains in place, the JCPOA is doomed.

That's most likely where things are heading no matter how long talks in Vienna drag on.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My two Wall Street books are timely reading:

"How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion, and Class War"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/how-wall-street-fleeces-america/

"Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

https://www.claritypress.com/product/banker-occupation-waging-financial-war-on-humanity/

streamingclarity.global