Details of Iran-US Agreement on Restoration of JCPOA Released: Reuters

Reuters has presented the details of the 2015 Iran-US agreement regarding the restoration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), outlining the phases of reciprocal steps aimed at returning the parties to compliance with their obligations.

Delegates from Iran, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, and the United States are still discussing the specifics of the agreement's draft amid warnings from the West that time is running out. Delegates note that much of the text is agreed upon, but there are still some pressing issues.

The overall goal is to return to the initial deal for the lifting of sanctions against Iran, including those that have reduced its oil sales in exchange for limiting its nuclear activities. Iran insists that its aims are strictly peaceful and wants to acquire nuclear technology for civilian purposes. However, Western powers argue that no state has enriched uranium to such a high level without developing nuclear weapons, and Iran's successes after the US's withdrawal from the deal indicate that the 2015 agreement is likely to collapse entirely soon.

The draft of the agreement, which consists of over 20 pages, includes a sequence of steps to be implemented after the deal is finalized, starting with a phase that includes Iran halting the enrichment of more than 5 percent uranium, according to diplomats familiar with the negotiations.

The text also mentions other measures that, according to diplomats, involve the unfreezing of approximately $7 billion of Iranian assets held in South Korean banks due to US sanctions, as well as the release of Western prisoners held in Iran. Only after these steps will the main phase of sanctions lifting begin.

According to diplomats, Iran would return to fundamental nuclear restrictions, such as the 3.67 percent enrichment cap on uranium. Like the original agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the new agreement entails a partial lifting of sanctions by the US.

“Regarding oil exports, former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump made exceptions for 90-120 days under the agreement and continued to extend them until Trump withdrew from the pact. An agreement has been reached that these exceptions will be restored,” said the diplomat.

Delegates involved in the negotiations that began 10 months ago have stated that it is still unclear whether an agreement will be reached. They cited the principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

Unresolved issues include Iran's demand for the US to guarantee that it will not withdraw from the agreement again. Western officials say it is impossible to give such a guarantee.

However, a Middle Eastern diplomat and an Iranian official noted that Tehran is willing to accept the proposal that in the event of a US breach of the contract, Iran would again be allowed to enrich uranium up to 60 percent.