WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2021) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns said on Wednesday that the possibility of coming back into full compliance with the Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), still exists.
"There is still a possibility of coming back into full compliance with the JCPOA," Burns said. "There is a big question mark of how serious the new Iranian government is in that as well. But there is still willingness and President Biden has made clear to do that."
In 2015, Iran signed the nuclear agreement with the P5+1 group of countries comprising the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany as well as with the European Union. The agreement stipulates Iran must scale back its nuclear program and reduce its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including the lifting of an arms embargo five years after the accord was signed.
In 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from JCPOA and implemented a comprehensive sanctions policy against Iran, prompting the latter to largely abandon its own obligations under the accord.
Since April, Vienna has hosted talks aimed at reviving the JCPOA. The sixth round of the talks finished on June 20 and the negotiations have since hit a deadlock.
Over the past week, both Tehran and Washington have affirmed their readiness to revive the Vienna talks as soon as possible.
