The Deputy National Security Advisor of the White House stated that reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran by December 3 seems difficult, but not impossible. These remarks from the senior American official came hours after British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond expressed doubts about reaching a final nuclear agreement with Iran. Tony Blinken, the Deputy National Security Advisor, said on Wednesday, November 28, in a gathering of American lawmakers, "It seems that achieving a nuclear agreement with Iran by next Monday is difficult, and in my opinion, it is becoming harder to say where we are going, but a comprehensive nuclear agreement is not impossible." According to Reuters, Blinken, who is President Barack Obama's choice for the position of Deputy Secretary of State (succeeding William Burns, a key figure in nuclear negotiations with Iran), further stated that the primary responsibility for reaching a nuclear agreement lies more with Iran than with the USA. He said, "The final agreement entirely depends on whether Iran is willing to take steps to assure the USA and its partners that its nuclear program will be entirely peaceful or not. We are negotiating, but we are not at that stage yet." The second day of new nuclear negotiations between Iran and six world powers took place on Wednesday, although these negotiations have been bilateral or trilateral over the past two days, and the parties have not yet begun group negotiations. In these negotiations, nuclear negotiating teams from the USA, France, Britain, Russia, China, and Germany are present and are negotiating separately with Iran. While Sergey Ryabkov, head of the Russian nuclear negotiating team in the P5+1 group, stated on Tuesday that "Iran and the six world powers are halfway to a final agreement," Philip Hammond expressed doubts on Wednesday about reaching a nuclear agreement by next Monday, December 3, and mentioned the possibility of extending the interim nuclear agreement. However, an unnamed Iranian official stated on Wednesday in an interview with IRNA that no negotiations have taken place regarding the extension of the nuclear talks. According to him, "For Iran, the issue of extension is not on the table at all." The interim nuclear agreement was reached for six months in December last year and was implemented at the end of January. Ultimately, Iran and the world powers extended this agreement for another four months after the six-month period ended. Next Monday, this period will also come to an end.
USA: Responsibility for Reaching a Comprehensive Nuclear Agreement with Iran Lies with Iran
The U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor stated that while reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran by December 3 is challenging, it remains possible. The responsibility for achieving the agreement lies primarily with Iran, as the U.S. negotiates to ensure Iran's nuclear program is peaceful. This situation is critical as the deadline for the current interim agreement approaches.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken stated that reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran by the upcoming deadline is challenging but possible, emphasizing that Iran holds the primary responsibility for the negotiations. Meanwhile, skepticism from other international players raises questions about the likelihood of a final agreement.
- The deadline for the current interim nuclear agreement is December 3.
- Negotiations involve six world powers: the USA, France, Britain, Russia, China, and Germany.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The negotiations are part of ongoing efforts to limit Iran's nuclear program, which many countries fear could lead to weaponization. Previous agreements have been extended multiple times as parties seek a comprehensive solution.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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