Hossein Mousavian Suggests Possibility Of Interim Iran Nuclear Deal

Hossein Mousavian, Iranian policymaker and nuclear spokesperson, has written an article in Middle East Eye suggesting an avenue to resolving the stalled Joint Comprehensive Action talks could be an interim arrangement put in place until after the 2022 US midterm elections.

• Mousavian: 'The key remaining issue is Iran’s demand for a guarantee that the US will abide by the deal and not withdraw again.'
• The problem, as articulated by Mousavian is that 'Biden is unable to guarantee that Congress or the next president will not overturn the deal again. Therefore, Iran’s logic has been that, in the absence of such a guarantee, an equivalent “reciprocal concession” for Tehran would be delisting the IRGC from the US terrorist blacklist.'
• Mousavian concludes: 'Biden’s Iran negotiator [Robert Malley] told the congressional hearing that “nuclear talks aren’t dead, but almost”. An interim deal could still salvage the accord and potentially provide the basis for full compliance by both sides after the US elections this November.'
• Laurence Norman of the Wall Street Journal: 'Interesting. Interim plan floated by Mousavian. Tehran has always said No. A shift?'