ugc_banner

United States waives sanctions on Iran's civilian nuclear programme

WION Web Team
Washington, United StatesUpdated: Feb 05, 2022, 07:06 PM IST
main img
Biden also said on Monday that "there will no longer be Nord Stream 2," a crucial Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline, if Russia further invades Ukraine with "tanks and troops." Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

The waiver allows other countries and companies to participate in Iran's civilian nuclear programme without triggering US sanctions on them, in the name of promoting safety and non-proliferation

US President Joe Biden's administration has waived sanctions on Iran's civilian nuclear programme.

The waiver allows other countries and companies to participate in Iran's civilian nuclear programme without triggering US sanctions on them, in the name of promoting safety and non-proliferation.

It was rescinded by the United States in 2019 and 2020 under former President Donald Trump, who pulled out of the nuclear agreement.

The move is a technical step necessary to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement as per the US State Department.

“We did NOT provide sanctions relief for Iran and WILL NOT until/unless Tehran returns to its commitments under the JCPOA,” State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted, using the acronym for the official name of the nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

×

“We did precisely what the last administration did: permit our international partners to address growing nuclear nonproliferation and safety risks in Iran,” Price said.

In response, Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said "The lifting of some sanctions can, in the true sense of the word, translate into their good will. Americans talk about it, but it should be known that what happens on paper is good but not enough." 

Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that one of the "main issues" in the talks is obtaining guarantees that the US will not withdraw from the 2015 deal again.

“We demand guarantees in the political, legal and economic spheres. Certain agreements have already been reached,” he added.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in a post on Twitter: "Iran's legal right to continue research and development and maintain its peaceful nuclear capabilities and achievements, side by side with its security ... cannot be curbed by any agreement."

×

It comes as indirect American-Iranian talks on reviving the 2015 international nuclear deal with Tehran enter the final stretch. Both countries have held eight rounds of indirect talks in Vienna since April aimed at reinstating the pact.

There has been no formal announcement on when the ninth round would start, but expectations intensified that it could be next week.

After Trump pulled the United States out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions, Iran gradually started violating the pact's nuclear curbs. Western diplomats now worry that its nuclear advancement leaves a very narrow window to return to the deal.

(With inputs from agencies)