U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said "the path to diplomacy is open right now" with Iran over its 2015 nuclear deal but would not address whether the Biden administration has had any direct engagement with Iranian officials.

"The path to diplomacy is open right now. Iran is still a ways away from being in compliance (with the deal). So we’ll have to see what it does," Blinken told National Public Radio according to a transcript provided by the broadcaster.

Asked if there was any move under way to resume direct diplomacy, Blinken pointed to U.S. President Joe Biden’s public stance that if Iran resumes compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal the United States would do so too.

"The president’s been very clear publicly, repeatedly, about where we stand. And we’ll see what, if any, reaction Iran has to that," Reuters cited him as saying.

The interviewer noted Blinken had not directly answered the question and asked: "but you’re not ruling out that direct diplomacy might be somewhere in the future here?' "Well, at some point, presumably, if there’s going to be any engagement on this, that would have to require diplomacy. That’s what we’re in the business of," Blinken responded

 

 

Source - vestnikkavkaza.net

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18.02.2021 09:38