Russian Envoy Emphasizes Chances of Restoring JCPOA, Calls for Western Cooperation

Speaking at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna also expressed his country’s commitment to completing negotiations to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as soon as possible.

"We reiterate our strong commitment to completing the work on restoring the JCPOA to its original shape. The chances of reviving the nuclear deal are still there," he said. "We cannot afford to miss it by letting the process continue along the path of uncontrolled escalation," Ulyanov stressed.

He also pointed out that it was the Western countries, not the Islamic Republic of Iran, that were not ready for constructive action.

"Iran is being accused of blocking the completion of negotiations on the restoration of the JCPOA. In the meantime, it is the Western countries that are not ready for this," Ulyanov stated. "If they stopped obstructing the process, the grounds for concern about Iran's nuclear program would be eliminated."

Ulyanov explained that "the deadlock over the Vienna talks on the JCPOA affects the mood in the IAEA board of governors."

"Those who just recently declared that there was no alternative to the JCPOA are now less unambiguous. In the meantime, a clear position in favor of restoring the JCPOA is in great demand," he pointed out. Leaks of any sensitive information regarding IAEA safeguards to the media are unacceptable, the Russian envoy stated.

"We have taken note of the wise choice of the agency (IAEA) and Iran not to succumb to provocations, to adhere to settlement protocols and to continue cooperation," Ulyanov summed up.

The JCPOA was signed with Iran in 2015 by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany. In 2018, the previous US president, Donald Trump, withdrew from the agreement.

The talks to revive the 2015 deal kicked off in the Austrian capital city of Vienna in April 2021, with the intention of removing anti-Iran sanctions and examining the US’s seriousness in rejoining the JCPOA. The discussions, however, have been at a standstill since August 2022 due to Washington’s insistence on its hard-nosed position of not removing all the sanctions that were slapped on Tehran by the previous US administration.

On November 10, 2022, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that another round of negotiations with Iranian representatives ended inconclusively. On March 6, 2023, speaking at a press conference after a meeting of the IAEA board of governors, Grossi expressed hope for the early restoration of dialogue with Iran.