UK tells Iran it has ‘last chance’ to present ‘serious resolution’ to nuclear deal

The U.K. on Sunday sent a warning to Iran, saying the country had one last chance to rejoin the nuclear agreement as negotiations in Vienna resumed late last month after a five month pause.

“This is the last chance for Iran to come to the negotiating table with a serious resolution to this issue, which has to be agreeing the terms of the JCPOA,” Liz Truss, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, said according to Reuters.

“This is their last chance and it is vital that they do so. We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon,” she added.

Truss’ German counterpart Annalena Baerbock gave a similar warning on Saturday.

“It has shown in the last days that we do not have any progress… due to the offer of the Iranian government negotiations have been thrown back six months,” Baerbock said to reporters. “Time is running out.”

A U.S. delegation led by U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley travelled to Vienna last week to indirectly engage in negotiations with Iran through European allies. Soon after the talks resumed, Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed wariness at the prospects of the negotiations.

“I have to tell you, recent moves, recent rhetoric, don’t give us a lot of cause for optimism,” said Blinken.

In an interview with Al Jazeera last week, Malley appeared to express optimism that an agreement could be reached for Iran to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Malley stated that the U.S. was prepared to meet with Iran’s diplomats face-to-face “at any time and any place”.

“We’re fully committed to a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA,” Malley told the news outlet. “We think there’s still time to do it if Iran comes back and says they’re prepared to roll up their sleeves and do it, too.”