Iran insists it will not renegotiate a new nuclear deal with the US even if Washington and Europe intensify sanctions. Tehran is threatening to further withdraw from the agreement in early January. Jack Barton has more from the Iranian capital.
Iran breached enriched uranium restrictions this year following Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the nuclear agreement in 2018. A further acceleration of the nuclear program is expected in January.
DR. MOHAMMAD MARANDI Iranian Political Analyst “The Iranians, for over a year, continued to abide by their commitments, now they’re gradually decreasing their commitments to the deal in order to put pressure on the Europeans to change policy.”
Iran wants Europe to resist US sanctions as well as find a way to help Tehran bypass restrictions on oil sales and financial transactions.
DR. SEYED MOSTAFA KHOSHCHESHM Iranian Affairs Analyst “The main point here is that the US is not for a conflict resolution, even the Obama administration, they were just looking for containment of Iran’s power.”
Trump’s decision to exit the 2015 deal has emboldened hardliners.
JACK BARTON Tehran “We’ve just heard chants of death to America, Israel, England and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as death to the Iranian political reformers.”
Reformers and even moderates have clearly been undermined.
DR. SEYED MOSTAFA KHOSHCHESHM Iranian Affairs Analyst “So they gave Rouhani this agenda actually to give it a try, to talk to the United States, but now everyone has come up with the same result, that talking and negotiating with the United States is meaningless.”
There is also a growing belief here the US will not resort to war if the nuclear program accelerates.
DR. SEYED MOSTAFA KHOSHCHESHM Iranian Affairs Analyst “Contained war with Iran is impossible. Any kind of military conflict would spiral out of control into a full-scale war and that’s something the US would never want.”
Which means 2020 could be another flashpoint for Iran and the US. Jack Barton, CGTN, Tehran.
