The United States will seek to strengthen and extend the agreement between world powers and Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear program, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, according to Reuters.
Blinken, addressing the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, said in a pre-recorded speech, “The United States remains committed to ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. Diplomacy is the best path to achieve that goal.”
President Joe Biden has said that if Iran comes back into “strict compliance” with the 2015 pact, his administration will do the same, Blinken added.
“Working with allies and partners, we will also seek to lengthen and strengthen the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and address other areas of concern, including Iran’s destabilizing regional behavior and ballistic missile development and proliferation,” said the Secretary of State.
Former President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran. The Islamic Republic, in turn, has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal.
Biden told the Munich Security Conference on Friday that his administration is "prepared to re-engage in negotiations" with the UN Security Council on Iran’s nuclear program.
The White House later said that the US has accepted Europe's offer to mediate conversations with Iran regarding the 2015 nuclear deal.