On March 16, at 13:00 Moscow time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club hosted a discussion titled “Return to the Deal? The New US Administration and the Prospects for the JCPOA”.
The change of administration in the United States has once again raised the question of the future of the “Iranian nuclear deal”. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was intended to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme is strictly limited to civilian nuclear power. Signed in 2015, it heralded a major achievement in multilateral diplomacy. However, the United States’ withdrawal from the deal in 2018, the gradual re-introduction of sanctions against Iran as well as new demands on Tehran caused massive damage to the Iranian economy; however, it could not force the Iranians to make concessions.
Joe Biden’s administration announced a revision of approaches to the JCPOA. The United States has withdrawn its demand for the restoration of international sanctions against Iran from the UN Security Council. At the same time, Washington is in no hurry to lift or soften unilateral restrictions. The Iranian economy remains under severe pressure, and Tehran has shown little willingness to comply with US preconditions.
What are the prospects for returning to the implementation of the JCPOA? What steps should be expected from Iran and the United States? What can Russia do to restore the “nuclear deal”? These and other questions were addressed by the participants in the expert discussion.
Speakers:
Moderator:
Working languages: Russian, English.