White House Disappointed With Iran's Rejection Of Direct Nuclear Talks - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st March, 2021) The US White House is disappointed with Iran's refusal to meet for face-to-face talks on the nuclear deal, planning to discuss its further steps with P5+1 partners, Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing a White House official.

According to the source, the United States is ready to constructively engage with Iran toward the mutual return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the day, citing two senior Western diplomats, that Iran rejected the EU offer to have direct nuclear talks with the US just yet, seeking guarantees that Washington will remove sanctions after the meeting.

The JCPOA was signed in 2015 by Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, which includes the five permanent UN Security Council member states � China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States � plus Germany, as well as the European Union. The deal stipulated the removal of international sanctions from Tehran in exchange for it scaling down its nuclear program.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran.