Trump Iran Deal Talks Collapse as Tehran Rejects New Nuclear Demands
GENEVA, Switzerland — Negotiations over a renewed nuclear agreement between the United States and Iran have collapsed, with the Islamic Republic formally rejecting a revised set of demands presented by the Trump administration, according to a joint statement released Sunday by the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General.
What happened was a breakdown in the latest round of diplomatic talks, which had been ongoing since January. The United States sought to impose stricter limits on Iran's uranium enrichment program, including the cessation of all research and development of advanced centrifuges and the permanent dismantlement of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. Who was involved in the talks were U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, with the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell acting as coordinator.
When this occurred, the rejection came late Saturday evening, after six hours of tense negotiations behind closed doors in Geneva. Where this took place was at the Palais des Nations, the U.N. headquarters in Geneva.
Why the talks collapsed was due to Iran’s refusal to accept what it termed "excessive and non-negotiable conditions." Amir-Abdollahian stated that the proposed terms violated the framework of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was previously abandoned by the United States in 2018. The development has been met with sharp criticism from European allies, while the White House has signaled a return to a "maximum pressure" campaign.