Iran deal becomes latest casualty of Russia's war in Ukraine
US, European and Iranian diplomats explain how the negotiations on a return to the Iran nuclear deal have been eclipsed by Russia’s war on Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on Tuesday that the Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is more or less dead, according to a report in Israel Hayom.
While a senior US official speaking to Al-Monitor denied the report, the United States and Israel have nevertheless found common ground in focusing instead on Iran's brutal crackdown on protesters and its backing of Russia in Ukraine.
The blame game around the nuclear talks has intensified as hopes to revive the deal fade.
One European diplomat involved in the talks faults Tehran. The official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Tehran put itself in a perfect storm: the internal situation, transferring weapons to Russia and deadlock over the nuclear deal."
