REUTERS: Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday (March 15) that time was running out for the United States to revive the nuclear deal because of Iran's upcoming June presidential election, which will entail a waiting period for almost six months.
"Once we go into our (June Iranian presidential) election, it will be a lame duck government," Zarif said, adding that the United States had to "move fast."
Speaking at the European Policy Centre, Zarif said that he had seen no change between the Biden administration and the Trump administration's policy of maximum pressure to force Iran back to the negotiating table and he called on the U.S. to change course.
"Why are they talking about renegotiating? Why are they talking about adjusting? Why are they talking about issues that we already dealt with? And Iran paid the price for it. So they need to abandon that policy," Zarif said.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the deal, known as the JCPOA, under which Iran accepted curbs to its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. Since then, Washington has reimposed sanctions and Tehran has responded by violating some of the conditions of the deal.
President Joe Biden aims to restore the deal, but Tehran and Washington each want the other side to comply first.
