The US Special Representative for Iran, Robert Malley, is scheduled to brief members of the House Foreign Relations Committee on Sept. 14 in a classified setting about the recent developments in the nuclear negotiations with Iran.
US media said several developments could take place on the negotiations before the session, hinting that the recent complications after Tehran’s “unconstructive” response may not be a “final response.”
The statements of US officials that the nuclear agreement is the best option to deal with Tehran indicate Washington’s intention to encourage Tehran to let go of its “unrealistic” conditions.
Malley last briefed the Congress, along with White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk, on the status of the talks on Jun 15.
No concessions before the US elections
The Democratic Party has increased its pressure on the US administration to prevent further “concessions” to Tehran ahead of the midterm elections. Bipartisan lawmakers signed a letter to President Joe Biden calling for a return to Congress before signing any agreement with Iran.
Last week, negotiators seemed to be making progress toward reviving the Iran nuclear deal after Iran appeared to drop several key demands.
Tehran wanted to close the investigations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before it would agree to any deal.
The US State Department reiterated that Washington is determined to complete investigations into the effects of uranium found in three previously undeclared Iranian nuclear sites.
It rejected linking a revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with the closure of investigations by the UN atomic watchdog.
On Friday, the White House stressed there should not be any conditionality between re-implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and investigations related to Iran's legal obligations under the Non-proliferation Treaty.
The ball is in Tehran's court
Observers believe the ball is now in Iran’s court, preparing to obtain significant concessions.
Some believe that Tehran's threat to increase uranium enrichment to more than 93 percent are desperate attempts, given its knowledge that its possession of nuclear weapons will present significant obstacles from the West, Israel, neighboring countries, and even Russia.
On Friday, Iran returned two captured US maritime drones after being confronted by US destroyers, but the unmanned vessels were missing their cameras.
It wasn’t clear if the Iranians kept the cameras, the official added, or if they fell off when the Iranians hauled the drones out of the Red Sea and later put them back in the water.
US officials have said that the cameras, radars, and other drone equipment are commercially available and aren’t classified technology. But retaining the cameras and inspecting the drones up close could give Iran a better idea of the system’s capabilities.
The Navy has been deploying a network of advanced aerial and maritime sensors in the region, known as Task Force 59, designed to use artificial intelligence to monitor Iran’s activities at sea and potential threats.
The US first began deploying maritime drones in October. The vessels are 23-feet-long, rely on wind and solar power, and are equipped with cameras, radars, and other sensors.
Reuters reported that Iran state television earlier on Friday acknowledged the Iranian Navy released two US maritime drones in the Red Sea but accused the American unmanned vessels of jeopardizing naval safety.
A US defense official suggested the Iranians sought to secretly seize the drones, pulling the sail drones entirely out of the water on Thursday and then covering them with tarps.
He said Iran initially denied having US property before returning them on Friday to the US warships that converged on the scene.
