Rouhani Refuses Renegotiations, Rejects Restructuring of Ravaged Resolution

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday said his country was willing to return to the nuclear deal it signed with world powers in 2015 but without any preconditions or renegotiations, as US President-elect Joe Biden has intimated he will attempt to do. In his first televised news conference in almost a year, Rouhani stressed that any talks about curbing Iran’s missile program or its regional activities – two subjects both American and European diplomats have insisted will have to be broached in future negotiations – would be nonstarters. “What can be on the table is that everyone will return to their full commitments,” the president said, seemingly stymieing the incoming administration’s hopes of reaching a deal. In 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, negotiated between Iran, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and Germany. After several months, Tehran responded by gradually scaling back its commitments and restarting its uranium-enrichment program.