US Trying To Save Some Trump-Era Sanctions Against Iran - Russian Envoy

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th May, 2022) The United States is likely trying to save some of the sanctions imposed on Iran by the Trump administration since the talks on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have been paused for over two months, a senior Russian diplomat said on Friday.

"Looks like the US tries to preserve some sanctions imposed by Donald Trump in Iran. Washington needs to demonstrate a more constructive and businesslike approach if (it) is really committed to nuclear nonproliferation," Mikhail Ulyanov, the Russian envoy to international organizations in Vienna, said on Telegram.

In 2015, the P5+1, Iran and the European Union signed the multiparty nuclear agreement, formally known as the JCPOA, to provide sanctions relief to Iran in exchange for scaling back its nuclear activities.

In 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran.

In April 2021, the parties to the agreement, together with the United States, began negotiations to restore the nuclear deal, working in Vienna.

However, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced in March a pause in the Vienna talks "due to external factors."

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Wednesday that nuclear aspects of the deal with Iran on its atomic research have been "pretty much finalized" but the talks have stumbled on non-nuclear issues.