Iran International:

Mardo Soghom
Chief English Editor 

Recent comments by US envoy Steve Witkoff suggest that Washington's goals in the ongoing talks with Iran go somewhat beyond those of the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under President Barack Obama—but without representing a radical departure.

That deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was rejected by President Donald Trump in 2018.

“This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization,” Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News’ Hannity. “That includes missiles—the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there—and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”

Witkoff also indicated that Iran's uranium enrichment would not be eliminated entirely but rather scaled back to the JCPOA’s limit of 3.67 percent. “They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent,” he said.

This particular demand appears to be within reach, as Tehran has repeatedly called for a US return to the original terms of the JCPOA. While disagreements may persist over the scope and intrusiveness of inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), this part of the negotiation does not seem to be a major sticking point.

So what’s new in Witkoff’s remarks?

First, the Trump administration is seeking a broader inspection regime than the one included in the JCPOA. This could entail access not only to declared enrichment facilities, but also to potential sites involved in warhead development. Iran has consistently resisted such expanded oversight, and this will likely be a point of friction in the talks.

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