Iranian Foreign MInister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday urged US President Joe Biden to return to the nuclear deal signed in 2015, promising that if sanctions are not eased by the end of February, Iran will toughen its stance, Reuters reported.
In an interview with the Hamshahri newspaper, Zarif said, "Time is running out for the Americans, both because of the parliament bill and the election atmosphere that will follow the Iranian New Year."
The Iranian new year is on March 21.
According to Zarif, if US sanctions are not eased by February 21, the Iranian government will be forced to take more drastic steps.
Zarif also noted that Iran is scheduled to hold elections in June, noting that a new president might jeopardize the deal.
"The more America procrastinates, the more it will lose," he said, noting that it appears "Mr. Biden's administration doesn't want to rid itself of Trump's failed legacy."
"We don’t need to return to the negotiating table. It’s America that has to find the ticket to come to the table."
On Monday, a newly-revealed internal memo circulated among members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that the Iranian government has accelerated its nuclear program and is now operating advanced centrifuges, in violation of the 2015 deal, to increase its uranium enrichment capabilities.