Both the secretary and deputy secretary express their lack of optimism.
State Department officials view the potential revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as less promising, considering Iran’s recent response to a draft proposal by the European Union. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated last week, “Iran seems either unwilling or unable to do what’s necessary to reach an agreement and they continue to try to introduce extraneous issues to the negotiations that make an agreement less likely.”
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Friday, “We’re at a stalemate in the sense that Iran, in the latest round of negotiations, has given us back a pretty tough response, one that’s unacceptable to us.” She also said the U.S. has made clear what the necessary and critical elements are, saying, “This is in Iran’s court.”
One major obstacle has been Tehran’s demand that a probe—in relation to unaccounted traces of enriched uranium at three sites in Iran—be dropped by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for Secretary Blinken as he oversees diplomatic efforts regarding nuclear negotiations.
- For Deputy Secretary Sherman as she aids the secretary of state with the president’s foreign policy goals.
- That the president and his advisors would be discerning in their attempts to revive the nuclear treaty with Iran.
Sources: CNN, The Times of Israel
