Iran presses for more nuclear concessions
Ayatollah Khamenei
Iranian officials have turned from the nuclear deal forged with America and U.S. allies to say bluntly: we want more concessions.
Specifically, the government is pressing for America to comply with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s desire to completely lift sanctions, rather than just suspend them, Fox News reported.
Khamenei has called for the concession in previous nuclear discussions, but one of his key aides doubled down on the demand this week – just in time for a slate of informal talks that are likely to go forward at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly.
Secretary of State John Kerry is largely expected to discuss this latest demand during his planned meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
The ayatollah aide’s demand has raised the eyebrows of nuclear deal watchers, with one group, the Middle East Media Research Institute, going so far to ask: Does this mean the nuclear talks have been “reopened?”
The State Department, however, rushed to quell that claim.
“We’ve long said that we’re not going to comment on or react to every statement attributed to the Iranian leadership,” one State official told Fox News. “Our focus is on implementing the deal, and verifying that Iran completes its key nuclear steps under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. There is no renegotiation and the nuclear-related sanctions relief that Iran will receive once the IAEA verifies that is has completed its nuclear steps is clearly spelled out in the text of the [agreement.]”
The ayatollah on Sept. 3, however, did say “there will be no deal” unless sanctions are completely lifted, Fox News reported.
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