US Takes Step Back From JCPOA Iran Deal

Although it had looked like the JCPOA Iran nuclear talks were on the brink of achieving a positive result the US appeared to take a step away from a deal yesterday. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee warned that Iran cannot be allowed to manipulate the US into a bad deal or an interim agreement that allows it to continue building its nuclear capacity.

• Menendez on the Senate floor: '…even when it seemed a constructive agreement might be possible last summer, upon taking office, the Raisi government abandoned all previous understandings ... Iran’s ballistic missiles and regional proxy networks are ‘not negotiable.’ Moreover, at this point, we seriously have to ask what exactly are we trying to salvage?’
• It is still likely that a deal will be done. The most important player right now is China and they have a considerable stake in Iran agreeing to a JCPOA framework.