WHEN it comes to the difficult US-Iran relationship, particularly the thorny nuclear issue, even small steps towards a solution must be appreciated. In this regard, the American decision to restore sanctions waivers on parts of Iran’s civilian nuclear programme should be seen as a confidence-building measure in tense talks between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 currently underway in Vienna. The nuclear negotiations were widely seen to be close to collapse, so while this cannot be termed a significant breakthrough, the sanctions waiver may be a tactic to buy more time for all parties and let temperatures cool during heated discussions. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has termed the American move “good but not enough” while calling upon Washington to guarantee it will not withdraw from the landmark deal as the Trump administration had done unilaterally.

If the Western parties want complete Iranian compliance with the deal, then they should go a step further and grant Tehran maximum relief where economic sanctions are concerned. US-led sanctions have succeeded in battering the Iranian economy, as global firms stay away from the country to avoid incurring America’s wrath. However, in the interest of global peace and to send a strong goodwill message to Iran, the US and its Western allies must assure Tehran that economic sanctions relief will be assured, and that the nuclear deal will not be violated. True, there will be actors — chiefly Israel — who will seek to sabotage any positive developments on this front. But the international community must ignore such irritants and work for a deal that is beneficial to Iran, regional states as well as the wider community. Should negotiations in Vienna collapse, it will spell more trouble for the Middle East. The West, then, must assure Iran of the genuine advantages of the deal, and deliver on them, while it is incumbent on Iran to honour its commitments if it wants a smooth re-entry into the international system. Barring this outcome, a destructive confrontation between both sides will be the unpleasant alternative.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2022