Washington, DC – Ryan Costello, Policy Director at the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement ahead of the expected fourth round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, to be held on May 11 in Muscat with the facilitation of Oman’s foreign ministry:
“The nuclear negotiations appear to be entering a critical phase where the Trump administration will have to show greater flexibility in order to strike a deal and avoid a drift toward war. Initial, restrained rhetoric from the administration on the goal of the negotiations has gradually been replaced with public demands that would trample Iranian red lines, specifically on the critical issue of enrichment on Iranian soil.
“If the recent calls from the Trump administration for total dismantlement in Iran are indicative of the American bottom line, there will not be a deal and the negotiations will almost certainly break down. If, however, the demands are a negotiating tactic to seek to extract more concessions from Iran, it is important that the United States demonstrate more flexibility at the negotiating table.
“Iran, as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, has a right to a peaceful nuclear program and enrichment is not prohibited. In contradiction of the assertions of several administration figures, many states have enrichment capabilities on their soil but no weapons program. What is prohibited is using a nuclear program to produce fissile material for weapons and this is what a new deal must be designed to prevent.
“The U.S. and Iran have a shared interest in averting war and preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Yet diplomatic brinkmanship puts at risk both of these goals. We urge the U.S. and Iran to prioritize the ultimate goals of the negotiations and to make progress toward an effective and verifiable deal.”
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