As world powers and Tehran close in on an agreement to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday that Iran is ready to exchange prisoners with the United States (US).
“Iran has always and repeatedly expressed its readiness to exchange prisoners. Months ago, we were ready to do it but the Americans ruined the deal,” the official said. However, he added that the release of prisoners is “not linked to the nuclear agreement” but is just associated with it. “This is a humanitarian measure by Iran,” he stressed.
Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that Iran is willing to make prisoner swaps and directly talk with the US on the precondition of certain goodwill measures, including the lifting of sanctions and the release of $10 billion worth of frozen Iranian assets. “Saying we have goodwill in words is not enough for direct talks. On the ground, they have to show it in practice,” Abdollahian remarked.
“If the nuclear talks between Tehran and world powers fail in Vienna, Western powers will be responsible for it because we want a good deal,” he added.
The US, on the other hand, has said that a nuclear deal with Iran is unlikely if it does not free four Americans who have been detained. US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley called on the Iranian government to release all American and foreign nationals who are being “unjustly” held.
6 years ago the Iranian government arrested Baquer Namazi and they still refuse to let him leave the country. The Iranian government can and must release the Namazis, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz, and other unjustly held U.S. and foreign nationals. pic.twitter.com/vEmfmfVDfP
— Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley (@USEnvoyIran) February 22, 2022
Tehran has also called on the US to release over a dozen Iranian nationals who were arrested for violating US sanctions against Iran.
Furthermore, Iran has demanded that the US remove all sanctions before it commits to any nuclear deal. Speaking at a conference of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha on Tuesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that the international community should avoid the “harsh” sanctions imposed by the US against Iran.
On Sunday, 250 out of 290 Iranian lawmakers signed a statement issued to President Raisi urging him not to sign a new nuclear deal if Tehran’s demands are not met by the West. The lawmakers demanded that the US remove all sanctions and allow Iran to receive money from its exports.
Despite these developments, numerous reports have stated that Iran and world powers are on the verge of reviving the JCPOA. On Friday, a European Union official told Reuters that a deal is close, depending on the political will of those involved. Furthermore, Russia’s chief negotiator for the nuclear talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, tweeted on Tuesday that “negotiations on restoration of the JCPOA are about to cross the finish line.”