Ryan Costello, Policy Director with the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement after the conclusion of two days of Iran nuclear negotiations in Doha, Qatar:

“The Doha talks this week were an important opportunity to inject life into the vital Iran nuclear negotiations. Unfortunately, the Biden administration still seems more interested in winning a blame game against Iran than in saving the nuclear deal. But even if the administration succeeds in pinning the blame on Iran for a collapse in negotiations, they will still own the catastrophic consequences, including Iran on the threshold of a nuclear weapon and growing risks of war that would be disastrous for Americans, Iranians and the global economy. 

“As the party that quit the nuclear deal in 2018 and offering no assurances about its ability to comply in just a bit over two years, the U.S. has to be proactive in its efforts to bridge the remaining impasses. Instead, Biden has pulled the symbolic FTO designation off the table and appears to have offered few alternatives to help reach the finish line. 

“Regrettably, the Biden administration appears to have its priorities mixed up. Instead of restoring the nuclear deal, the President is planning to bend the knee to Mohammad bin Salman in an apparent attempt to lower oil prices. However, a restored Iran deal can do far more to lower global oil prices, and it would have tangible benefits for U.S. security by removing the twin threats of a nuclear-armed Iran and a devastating war over Iran’s nuclear program. It’s not too late for Biden to make the right call.”

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