US rejects Iran nuclear offer tied to sanctions
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s supreme leader Sunday urged the United States to lift all sanctions if it wants Iran to live up to commitments under its nuclear deal with world powers, state TV reported, but President Joe Biden says the U.S. won’t be making the first move.
“If (the U.S.) wants Iran to return to its commitments, it must lift all sanctions in practice, then we will do verification ... then we will return to our commitments,” state TV quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying, in his first comments on the matter since Biden took office.
Biden rejected the idea in a “CBS Evening News” interview taped Friday that aired Sunday.
“No,” Biden replied when asked if the U.S. will lift sanctions. He was then asked if Iran has to stop enriching uranium first. Biden nodded.
Former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. in 2018 from the atomic deal, which saw Iran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Biden has said he will seek to revive the deal, but insisted that Iran must first reverse its nuclear steps.
Khamenei, 81, has the final say on all matters of state in Iran and approved the efforts at reaching the nuclear deal in 2015.
In response to Trump’s so-called maximum pressure campaign against Iran, the country began to gradually violate its atomic commitments, and threatened further provocations in a bid to increase its leverage and get Biden to prioritize a return to the deal as he moves to dismantle Trump’s legacy. Biden has signed a series of executive actions that reverse course on a wide range of issues, including climate change and immigration.