Arab News

LONDON: Joe Biden has said Iran must cut its uranium enrichment before any return to talks over the regime’s nuclear program.

The US president said he would not ease any of the tough sanctions imposed by Donald Trump after he withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, while Iran is not sticking to its commitments.

Iran has repeatedly breached the deal in recent months even amid suggestions that Biden would attempt to revive the agreement between Iran and world powers.

The deal reduced sanctions on Iran in return for curbing its nuclear development, which many fear is intended to build an atomic weapon.

Biden was asked in a CBS interview to be aired on Sunday whether he would halt sanctions in a bid to bring Iran back to negotiations.

“No,” the new president said, in a clear one-word response. He then nodded when asked if Iran would have to stop enriching uranium first.

With Iran resuming its enrichment of uranium, we asked Pres. Biden if the U.S. will lift sanctions first in order to get Iran back to the negotiating table on a nuclear deal.

“No,” Pres. Biden says, affirming that Iran will have to stop its enrichment program first pic.twitter.com/OPszf15Q1o

— Norah O'Donnell 🇺🇸 (@NorahODonnell) February 7, 2021

Iran said last month that it was now enriching uranium to a purity of 20 percent – far above the 3.67percent level set by the deal. 

Biden’s administration has said it has to work urgently to stop Iran developing a nuclear weapon.