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U.S.-Iran nuclear diplomacy is going nowhere fast

03 March 2021
Dan Ackermann

Iran's cool response to the Biden administration's push for diplomatic engagement, along with rising tensions in the region, makes clear that salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal may be far more difficult than many had anticipated.

The state of play: Both the U.S. and Iran have entered the diplomatic dance, but it seems to be moving in circles.

The U.S. announced it was ready to hold direct nuclear talks and took symbolic steps to build goodwill, including removing limitations on the movement of Iranian diplomats at the UN and withdrawing the Trump administration's request for snapback sanctions at the Security Council.

  • The U.S. is not prepared to meet Iran's primary request: unilaterally removing sanctions.

The Iranians have continued to take a tough line, most notably by moving forward with a law that curtails the access of UN inspectors to several nuclear sites.

  • But the Iranians did signal that they want to leave open the window for diplomacy by reaching a deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to allow the inspectors to continue the bulk of their work for another three months.

The U.S. and its European allies drew up a resolution to censure Iran over its move on inspections when the IAEA board of governors convenes this week in Vienna.

  • The Iranians reacted angrily, threatening to abandon the recent deal with the IAEA if the U.S. and Europeans follow through with the move to censure Iran.
  • The Iranians also rejected a proposal for an informal meeting of the deal's signatories, after previously expressing openness to such a gathering, saying the time isn’t right for talks.

Between the lines: Iran has accused President Biden of "buying time" by focusing on censuring Iran rather than removing sanctions. The Biden administration, meanwhile, contends that Iran has an opportunity to negotiate and isn't taking it.

Driving the news: As the diplomatic difficulties have grown, the U.S. and its allies have also been exchanging kinetic punches in recent days with Iran and its proxies.

  • The U.S. retaliated against the Iran-backed Shiite militia rocket attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq with an airstrike on a militia base across the border in Syria.
  • After an Israeli ship was attacked in the Gulf of Oman, Israel retaliated by striking Iranian targets in Syria. Minister of Defense Benny Gantz claimed Iran had attacked the ship in an attempt to improve its bargaining position in nuclear talks.
  • Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched three attacks against Saudi Arabia this week, including the firing of a missile on the Saudi capital Riyadh, which was intercepted.

What they're saying: Speaking to Hillary Clinton on her podcast, Secretary of State Tony Blinken acknowledged the difficulties of reengaging with Iran, but stressed the importance of doing so alongside European allies:

“They’re also prepared to join us in taking strong action as necessary against some of the other things Iran does that we don’t like. We’re a long way from getting back to where we were. We don’t know what Iran will do or won’t do."

What’s next: The next stage of the diplomatic standoff will come at the IAEA meeting in Vienna, over whether a resolution condemning Iran will pass.

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

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Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.

Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.

The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.

  • The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.

What the transcripts say:

  • Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
  • The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
  • Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.