US warns of withdrawal from negotiations with Iran

Berlin/Tehran: The United States has issued a warning to Iran following shocking reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the progress of the Iranian nuclear program. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, ‘The time has come for Iran to join the 2015 nuclear deal, and the United States will soon withdraw from the ongoing negotiations regarding the matter.’ Meanwhile, the US Fifth Fleet has announced that it will soon set up a drone task force to monitor developments in the Persian Gulf. The drone task force is claimed to be formed to monitor the Iranian threat.

In the last three months, Iran has increased its stockpile of 60% enriched Uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) made a shocking revelation that Iran has 10 kg of Uranium stock. At the same time, the commission says that Iran has made a rapid increase in other enriched Uranium reserves. The commission also accused Iran of failing to allow inspections of its nuclear program.

Iran has expressed outrage over this. It also announced to challenge the report of the Atomic Energy Commission. Iran has criticised the Biden administration in the United States for pressuring to negotiate the nuclear deal. Iran’s foreign ministry has warned that the Biden administration will suffer if it does not stop looking at the nuclear agreement from former President Donald Trump’s perspective.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has blamed the IAEA for failing to meet its responsibilities, saying Iran is entirely transparent about its nuclear program. Raisi had warned that if the IAEA continues such a stand, it will hamper discussions on the nuclear deal. He also said that Iran would not participate in the nuclear agreement for the next two months. The US has reacted to this. Any concessions made to Iran for joining the 2015 nuclear deal are coming to an end. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made it clear that the United States could not participate in the talks for long. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also lamented Iran’s delay on this front. Russia has called on Iran to resolve its objections to the IAEA Commission in a spirit of reconciliation and cooperation.

Meanwhile, the US Fifth Fleet, deployed to secure the Persian Gulf, made an important announcement on Wednesday. The US Navy has announced that it will soon set up a drone task force to protect traffic in the Persian Gulf and beyond. A senior US Navy official said that the drone task force would be responsible for air, sea and submarine surveillance. The deployment of the US drone task force in the Persian Gulf is said to be a signal to Iran.