Washington, DC – NIAC President Jamal Abdi issued the following statement on the latest IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear program, which details a growing stockpile of higher-enriched uranium that could potentially form the core of six nuclear weapons if Iran ever decides to weaponize.
“This latest IAEA report should be a wake-up call for the Trump administration and international community – Iran’s nuclear program will continue to expand so long as each side seeks to out-leverage the other. We call on the U.S. and Iran to immediately enter negotiations toward a “Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement” as President Trump described, that can assure Iran does not cross the weapons threshold and reduce growing risks of a catastrophic war.
“The Iranian position that it will not negotiate under ‘maximum pressure’ may have a strong foundation, but risks closing off pathways to lift sanctions and avert a military confrontation with the U.S. and Israel. Likewise, the Trump administration’s sporadic sanctions designations under a renewed “maximum pressure” won’t add any new leverage but plays into the hands of Iranian hardliners who favor a hardening of tensions with the United States.
“This possible impasse necessitates international mediation. Fortunately, there is no shortage of potential mediators who have shown interest in a U.S.-Iran detente, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, European powers and even Russia. With a growing risk of the window for negotiations closing as both Iran and the U.S. harden their positions on negotiations, third party actors concerned about the trendlines must take the lead to bring the U.S. and Iran to the negotiating table. All parties must show flexibility and move to the negotiating table to avert a headlong push toward war and Iranian proliferation.”
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