Zarif: Biden’s US should seize chance to lift bans, rejoin Iran nuclear deal

Iran has called on the new US president to fix the mistakes made by his predecessor, warning that the window of opportunity for Joe Biden to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal would be lost in case he insists on drawing new concessions. In an op-ed published by Foreign Affairs magazine, Mohammad Javad Zarif called on Washington to immediately lift all anti-Iran sanctions imposed, re-imposed, or relabeled since Donald Trump took office. Zarif said pressure against Iran has time and again proved counter-productive. But Tehran will respond positively to any initiative advanced in good faith. Trump pulled Washington out of the Iran nuclear in 2018 and embarked on a sanctions regime under his so-called maximum pressure. Tehran began reducing its commitments in response to the failure of the remaining signatories to make up for Washington’s pullout and sanctions. Biden has signaled he wants Washington back in the 2015 deal.