JCPoA Talks In Crucial Stage As Registration Opens For Pres. Candidates

With the fourth round of talks between signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA, the Iran nuclear deal) underway in Vienna, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated in a presser on Monday that "There's a window of opportunity that will stay open for a couple of weeks, until the end of the month, but a lot of work is needed, time is limited and I hope that negotiations will enter in a phase of non-stop in Vienna."

• The shortened timeframe is due to Iran's presidential election, which is due to be held on 18 June.
• The five-day registration period for individuals to submit their candidacies began earlier today. In 2017, 1,636 individuals sought to run for president, but the decision over who is allowed to run rests with the 12-member Guardian Council, which is strongly influenced by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
• The expectation among other JCPoA signatories is that once the presidential candidates are declared on 25 May, political and diplomatic focus in Iran will switch to the election. After the election there is no guarantee the incoming administration (incumbent moderate President Hassan Rouhani cannot run again due to term limits) will be willing to negotiate aspects of the JCPoA.
• As such, if any breakthrough is going to be made, it will have to be made soon to avoid becoming hostage to the election result.
• State media in Iran is already sowing the seeds of blame for any failure, with Press TV stating that US demands for 500 individuals to be kept under sanctions as part of the deal risks scuppering any progress.