Impasse in Vienna?

by Stephen Lendman

Begun in early April last year, multiple rounds of JCPOA talks between Iran, Russia, China and E3 countries Britain, France and Germany have been ongoing for nearly nine months with no meaningful progress toward a legally binding agreement.

For good reason, Iran refuses to negotiate directly with the Biden regime.

At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said if "reaching reaching a good agreement with solid guarantees requires a level of talks with the US, we will not ignore that in our work schedule."

Reality is worlds apart away from anything close to the above.

Despite months of talks, irreconcilable differences may scupper them altogether ahead.

Key sticking points may be unresolvable.

They include removal of all illegally imposed sanctions on Iran.

The Islamic Republic also seeks a guarantee that if agreement is reached for the US and E3 to return to JCPOA compliance, it'll be legally binding on their successor regimes.

On lifting US imposed sanctions, the Biden regime cannot rescind what US legislation imposed without congressional approval.

Chances of overcoming this hurdle are virtually nil. This reality alone is a likely deal killer.

At the same time, major unresolved differences after months of talks suggest that they'll remain sticking points no matter how long things continue.

Negotiating directly or indirectly with hegemon USA proved exasperating and fruitless countless times before.

Since its liberating 1979 revolution, the overriding US aim has been to transform Iran back to vassal state status.

Iranian officials know what they're up against in dealing with the US-dominated West.

Their ruling regimes demand everything in return for hollow promises to be breached at their discretion.

The prospect of dominant US hardliners turning a page for improved relations with any country free from their control is virtually nil.

Reports about progress in JCPOA talks are greatly exaggerated.

How can there be progress when no breakthroughs were achieved in resolving major irreconcilable differences?

Iran wants and deserves nothing less than full US/E3 compliance with SC Res. 2231 principles — what's binding international law on all nations.

Given longstanding US breaches of treaties and other agreements throughout its history, Iran seeks a verification process for whatever the US/West may agree to, if anything.

If instituted, it won't eliminate the risk of future JCPOA breaches.

At most, it might somewhat lessen the risk but not enough to matter.

The Biden regime rejects the idea. Where it goes, subservient E3 regimes follow time and again.

When Trump unilaterally walked away from the JCPOA in May 2018, the E3 marched in lockstep.

That's how negotiations have gone for nearly nine months.

What hegemon USA rejects, so do subservient E3 vassal states.

At this time, US intransigence and untrustworthiness could undermine talks at any time for any reasons.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said a key reason why irreconcilable differences remain is the Biden regime's "unpreparedness" to accept what's crucial to Iran's security.

If no progress is made on this and related issues, it's a deal-breaker going forward no matter how much longer talks continue.

Even if the US-dominated E3 agree to what's fundamental for Iran, history virtually assures that the current or future US regimes will breach the agreement in similar fashion to Trump's betrayal.

US duplicity defines its actions on the world stage.

Diplomacy when undertaken with its ruling regimes ends badly time and again.

It's virtually guaranteed for nations free from its control.

Trump killed the JCPOA.

Dominant Biden regime hardliners were never serious about returning to compliance as mandated by SC Res. 2231.

In its original form, what matters most, the landmark agreement is virtually dead.

Only its obituary remains to be written.