Nuclear weapons integration is not possible unless Iran releases US prisoners: Report | Nuclear Energy News

The United States is very unlikely to cooperate with Iran observe Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal Only after Tehran released four U.S. citizens Washington said it was doing so, a senior US nuclear negotiator told Reuters on Sunday.

U.S. Special Envoy to Iran Robert Malley reiterated what the U.S. has long said that the story of the four people who happened in Iran is different from the nuclear deal. They approached, however, to say theirs to release it was the result of a nuclear alliance.

“They are different and we are following them both. But I would say it is very difficult to imagine a return to the nuclear deal when four innocent Americans are being held hostage by Iran,” Malley told Reuters in an interview.

“As a result, even though we are talking directly to Iran about the nuclear file we are holding, we are negotiating with them directly to ensure the release of our captives,” he said in Vienna, as negotiations are underway to bring Washington and Tehran. return to full compliance and cooperation.

In recent years, Iran’s top military Revolutionary Guards have arrested members of both national and international groups, particularly in espionage and security-related cases.

Liberation groups have accused Iran of taking prisoners to gain access to aid, while Western nations have been demanding the release of Tehran, its so-called political prisoners.

Tehran refuses to arrest people for political reasons.

Message sent

Malley speaks in an interview with Barry Rosen, a 77-year-old former US ambassador to Vienna, who has been on a hunger strike, demanding the release of US, British, French, German, Austrian and Swedish prisoners to Iran. and that no nuclear deal could be established without their release.

Rosen was one of more than 50 U.S. ambassadors who served during the Iranian crisis of 1979-1981.

“I have spoken to several families of the detainees who are very appreciative of what Mr Rosen is doing but are also asking him to stop starving, as I do, because the message has been sent,” Malley said. .

Rosen said that after five days of fasting, she felt weak and accepted the invitation.

“At the request of Special Envoy Malley and my doctors and others, we have agreed [that] “After this meeting I will stop fasting but that does not mean that some do not take a stick,” said Rosen.

The indirect issues between Iran and the United States in bringing back all of these countries to fully adhere to the well-known 2015 nuclear deal in their eighth round. Iran is refusing to hold talks with US officials, meaning some are moving between the two sides.

The 2015 agreement between Iran and major countries abolished sanctions against Tehran in exchange for its nuclear ban which increased the time required to acquire sufficient nuclear bombs if it so desired. Iran refuses to seek nuclear weapons.

Then – President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the deal in 2018, reorganizing economic sanctions against Tehran. Iran responded with violations of a number of nuclear agreements, until Western powers said the treaty would end soon.

Encourage

Asked if Iran and the US could negotiate directly, Malley said: “We have not heard anything about this. We will welcome it.”

Four U.S. citizens held in Iran includes Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi, 50, and his father Baquer, 85, both found guilty of “conspiracy theorists”. Namazi remains in prison. His father was released on medical grounds in 2018 and his subsequent sentence was reduced to time. Although Elder Namazi is no longer in custody, the couple’s lawyer says he is not allowed to leave Iran.

“Biden’s top officials tell us over and over again that even though Iran’s nuclear agreements are privately held and need to be negotiated in the same way, they will not end on their own,” said Jared Genser, a pro bono candidate for Namazi. family.

“Otherwise, the whole opportunity to release the detainees will be lost,” he added.

The others are naturalist Morad Tahbaz, 66, a British citizen, and businessman Emad Shargi, 57.