White House: Our Policy on Iran Has Not Changed; Having Open Channels of Dialogue is Important

The White House spokesperson on Wednesday emphasized the importance of 'having open channels of dialogue' in response to a question from a Voice of America reporter, stating: 'Our policy on Iran has not changed, and we have been very clear about this.' Karine Jean-Pierre, responding to the Persian section of Voice of America regarding the Biden administration's statement that 'reviving the JCPOA is not currently a priority,' questioned the purpose of recent diplomatic exchanges between Tehran and Washington. She reiterated: 'Having open channels of dialogue is important.' Jean-Pierre did not elaborate on the nature of this communication channel or at what level it is operating. This response came as officials from the Islamic Republic and Gulf Arab countries, which are close allies and partners of Washington, speak of face-to-face discussions. Additionally, Western media report, citing unnamed officials involved in Iran-related matters, that the U.S. and Iran have reached a temporary agreement, which both Washington and Tehran have denied so far. Jean-Pierre further referenced the Biden administration's commitments, stating: 'Our focus is limited to disrupting Iran's destabilizing behavior and reducing tensions through pressure in very close cooperation with allies, ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. We have clearly reiterated this multiple times over the past two years.' The White House spokesperson did not name these partners, but Israel is one of the staunchest U.S. allies in reviving the JCPOA and is regularly conducting military exercises with the U.S. Regarding the expansion of enrichment activities in Iran, which the U.S. and allied countries have expressed serious concerns about, Jean-Pierre stated: 'We are monitoring Iran's enrichment activities, and we are prepared for all scenarios and options, planning in conjunction with partners and allies, as the President and the State Department have indicated.' The White House spokesperson reiterated in response to Voice of America during this press conference: 'We have not changed our policy towards Iran and have been steadfast.' Barbara Leaf, head of the Near Eastern Affairs section of the U.S. State Department, also indicated on Tuesday that the nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic is no longer central, stating that the JCPOA has lost its relevance for various reasons and is no longer 'effectively' on the table as it was before. Leaf, addressing members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's subcommittee, noted that despite the reduced focus on the nuclear agreement with Tehran, Washington still considers diplomacy an effective means to counter the threats posed by the Islamic Republic and to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. This senior U.S. diplomat identified the best way to impose restrictions on Iran's nuclear program as a return to diplomacy through rigorous inspection and oversight. Leaf emphasized that the United States has made it very clear to the Iranian government that the development of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. She urged U.S. partners to adopt a similar approach towards Tehran.