Iran to U.S.: We are ready to return to the nuclear agreement only if sanctions lifted

TEHRAN — During a press interview, Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif announced Iran’s conditions for holding talks with the incoming Biden Administration about the U.S.’s return to the nuclear agreement signed by former U.S. President Obama and unilaterally withdrawn from by current U.S. President Trump.

Despite the lack of a concession by President Trump that he lost the election to President-elect Biden, the Iranian government is stepping-up its efforts to restart the nuclear agreement which saw the dropping of international sanctions against Iran in exchange for an end to its nuclear weapons program.

On Wednesday, Zarif announced during an interview with Iran Daily Newspaper that the government is ready to hold talks about the nuclear agreement only if the sanctions imposed by the Trump Administration were lifted.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the U.S. of engaging in economic warfare against Iran following a ministerial meeting.

The Trump Administration has imposed sanctions on Iran and Syria at a staggering pace over the past few months.

In mid-September, after a majority of members of the U.N. Security Council refused to pass the U.S. plan to extend sanctions against Iran, the U.S. began unilaterally imposing a series of sanctions targeting Iranian interests, entities, and officials.

At the time, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized Germany for its commitment to the Iran nuclear deal signed under President Obama, saying that the Trump Administration considers the agreement not only bad, but dangerous. Iran threatens to destroy America and Israel, said Pompeo, adding that Germany agrees with the U.S. on preventing Iran from trading weapons but has not offered an alternative plan.