US Secretary of State Tony Blinken.Credit:Bloomberg
In addition to signalling a willingness to talk with Iran,the administration also reversed Trump’s determination that all UN sanctions against Iran had been restored. And,it eased stringent restrictions on the domestic travel of Iranian diplomats posted to the United Nations.
The State Department announced the moves following discussions between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his British,French and German counterparts,and as Biden prepares to participate,albeit virtually,in his first major international events with world leaders.
The announcement came a day before Biden is to speak to leaders of the G7 industrialised democracies and later in the day address the annual Munich Security Conference. At both,Biden is expected to discuss his commitment to multilateral diplomacy and his desire to undo damage that Trump’s positions may have caused over the previous four years.
In a statement,department spokesman Ned Price said the US would accept an invitation from the European Union to attend a meeting of the participants — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany,along with Iran — in the original nuclear agreement.
President Hassan Rouhani listens to explanations on new nuclear achievements at a ceremony to mark “National Nuclear Day” in Tehran in 2018.Credit:AP
“The United States would accept an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss a diplomatic way forward on Iran’s nuclear program,” he said. The US has not participated in a meeting of those participants since Trump withdrew from the deal and began steadily ramping up sanctions on Iran.
Such an invitation has not yet been issued but one is expected shortly,following Blinken’s talks with the British,French and German foreign ministers.