Trump writes to Iran top leader asking him to open nuclear dialogue

Context

U.S. President Donald Trump said he has written to Iran pressing for talks on preventing the development of nuclear weapons, warning it faces possible military action if not.

Iran’s Foreign Minister said on Friday that the country would not negotiate so long as the United States applies “maximum pressure,” but he was not responding directly to Mr. Trump’s letter.

Mr. Trump’s outreach marks a departure at least in tone from the hardline stance in the Republican leader’s first term and could cause a rift with close ally Israel, which last year carried out bombing strikes inside Iran.

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)

The deal is also known as2015 Iran Nuclear Deal.

The JCPOA was the result of prolonged negotiations from 2013 and 2015 betweenIran and P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States + Germany).

Under the deal,Iran agreed to significantly cutits stores of centrifuges, enriched uranium and heavy-water,all key components for nuclear weapons.

Iran alsoagreed to implement a protocol that would allow inspectors from theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)to access its nuclear sitesto ensure Iran would not be able to develop nuclear weapons in secret.

Iran’s economy, after suffering years of recessions, currency depreciation, and inflation, stabilized significantly after the deal took effect, and its exports skyrocketed.

After US abandoned the deal in 2018unilaterally and reinstated banking and oil sanctions,Iran ramped up its nuclear programme in earnest, returning to approximately 97% of its pre-2015 nuclear capabilities.