TEHRAN – The United States is yet to become a member of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Iran has said, as the Biden administration intensifies diplomatic effort to reach a common position with Europe on Iran.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Thursday that Washington was willing to take part in a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss the situation around the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“The United States would accept an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss a diplomatic way forward on Iran's nuclear program,” Price said, referring to the UN Security Council's five permanent members and Germany.

The remarks elicited a response from spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry Saeed Khatibzadeh because they implied that as if the P5+1 still exists.

Khatibzadeh took to Twitter to remind the Americans that the P5+1 format had been reduced to P4+1 after the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear deal in May 2018.

“Reminder: Because of US withdrawal from JCPOA, there is NO P5+1. It is now ONLY Iran and P4+1. Remember, Trump left the room and tried to blow it up. Gestures are fine. But to revive P5+1, U.S. must Act: LIFT sanctions. We WILL respond. Here is the key sequence: #CommitActMeet,” Kahtibzadeh said in a tweet on Friday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also echoed the same position, underlining that the U.S. should lift all the sanctions it imposed on Iran over the course of the Trump administration.

“U.S. acknowledged Pompeo's claims regarding Resolution 2231 had no legal validity. We agree. In compliance with 2231: U.S. unconditionally & effectively lift all sanctions imposed, re-imposed or re-labeled by Trump. We will then immediately reverse all remedial measures. Simple: #CommitActMeet,” Zarif tweeted on Thursday.

SM/PA