Iran abandons demanded “red line” in nuclear deal talks, CNN says

A senior official of Joe Biden’s Administration has assured that Iran has abandoned the demanded “red line” that meant a conflict in the negotiations of the nuclear agreement, so the parties would be getting closer to the return of the pact, CNN has learned.

Iran would not have demanded — at this point in the negotiations — that the United States remove the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from Biden’s State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. It would also have dropped requests on delisting of companies linked to the IRGC.

According to the official contacted by the US channel, Tehran “discards” these demands from “the current version of the text.” “So, if we are closer to an agreement, that’s why,” he has assured.

In any case, the official has indicated that, “while an agreement is now closer than two weeks ago, the outcome remains uncertain as some gaps remain.”

In this sense, he has pointed out that “Biden will only approve an agreement that satisfies the national security interests” of the United States. Thus, “the president has been firm and consistent that he would not lift the IGRC’s terrorism designation.”

While progress may be slow, another senior official has confirmed to CNN that there appears to be more momentum now than in the last year.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price on Tuesday gave a positive assessment of the European Union’s plan to resume the Iran nuclear deal. Although the US has so far declined to comment in detail on the proposal, Price said the big issues in reviving the 2015 international nuclear deal have been “largely resolved,” Bloomberg reported.

On Monday, the Iranian government forwarded its response to Borrell’s proposal, showing optimism about the chances of the deal materializing. Iranian Foreign Minister Hosein Amirabdolahian had explained that he saw a rapprochement “in the coming days” as feasible “if the U.S. demonstrates a realistic approach and flexibility”.