Nuclear discussions burst between Iran and the USA - new sanctions cause confusion!

Nuclear discussions burst between Iran and the USA - new sanctions cause confusion!

On Wednesday, May 1, 2025, the US Ministry of Finance imposed new sanctions against several companies in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Iran. These sanctions are specifically aimed at companies involved in the Iranian oil business. Iran's foreign office spokesman Ismail Baghai sentenced the sanctions sharply and threatened possible consequences. It remains unclear whether these new measures are the reason for the shift in nuclear negotiations between Iran and the USA. According to the Iranian journalist Abas Aslani, "internal disagreements within the US government" and "changes to the framework conditions defined in previous rounds" are also possible reasons for the delay in discussions.

in Tehran, skepticism about the seriousness of the United States is growing in ongoing nuclear negotiations. The Viennese nuclear agreement signed in 2015 obliges Iran to restrict its nuclear program. After Donald Trump had unilaterally out of the agreement in 2018, Iran no longer adhered to the requirements specified in it. Trump is now striving for a new deal and has repeatedly threatened with military measures if there is no agreement.

sanctions and their effects

The new US sanctions could also have an impact on a planned discussion round of Iranian government representatives with representatives from Germany, France and Great Britain that was scheduled for Friday. While European governments do not sit directly at the negotiating table, they still have pressure tools to persuade Iran to comply with the agreement. The Viennese agreement formally expires in October 2025, but is actually no longer used. The possibility of the so-called Snapback mechanism gives Europeans the opportunity to return earlier UN sanctions against Iran without much resistance.

The US government aims to stop the controversial nuclear program of Iran. In the past, the Iranian leadership rejected direct negotiations with the United States. US President Trump had contacted the Iranian leader Ajatollah Ali Chamenei and expressed his hope for direct discussions. However, Chamenei rejected this and explained that only negotiations on third countries were possible. He also criticized Trump as a "rumbling personality" and referred to the "misconduct" of the USA.

international concern

International concern about a possible nuclear upgrade of Iran is still great. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned that Iran continues with increasing the production of almost nuclear weapons -suitable uranium, while Iran himself claims that his nuclear program serves peaceful purposes. The ongoing banter between the USA and Iran remains a central concern for the international community, since Israel also threatened to bomb Iranian nuclear systems if a diplomatic solution does not come about.