TEHRAN(Bazaar) – Tariq Raouf, former Director General of the Atomic Energy Agency says, Biden needs a foreign policy victory hence wants JCPOA back soon.
He adds that US is very concerned about Iran's 60% enrichment and increasing stocks of HEU, and growing capability to survive sanctions especially as oil prices rise. Hence also wants Iran and OPEC to pump more oil.
Following is the text of the Bazaar interview with Tariq Raouf.
Bazaar: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov announced that the United States had given a written guarantee to Russia for the JCPOA. What is your assessment and why was such a guarantee given to Russia by the U.S.?
Rauf: Russia wanted a written guarantee. They remembered the unwritten US assurance on no NATO expansion.
Bazaar: Lavrov had stated that the US guarantee would also be included in the text of the JCPOA. Doesn't this situation make it difficult to implement the agreement?
Rauf: Including guarantee to Russia in the JCPOA, if it does happen is to link sanctions relief for Iran with sanctions guarantee for Russia, so that violation of the guarantee will bring down the JCPOA which Biden would not want.
Bazaar: During his visit to Russia, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian sought to ensure Russia's support for the Vienna talks. The trip discussed the legal regime of the Caspian Sea, Iran's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, and a long-term agreement with Russia (20 years agreement). Doesn't this mean that Russia has linked cooperation in the JCPOA to these issues?
Rauf: I think Iran is securing relations with Russia and China as a hedge against future US presidents walking away again from the JCPOA.
Bazaar: How do you assess the future of the talks, given the US written guarantee to Russia?
Rauf: Biden needs a foreign policy victory hence wants JCPOA back soon, also US is very concerned about Iran's 60% enrichment and increasing stocks of HEU, and growing capability to survive sanctions especially as oil prices rise. Hence also wants Iran and OPEC to pump more oil.
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