Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Secretary of State Blinken in Brussels. Photo: Olivier Hoslet/Pool/Anadolu Agency via Getty
The Biden administration's efforts to re-engage with Iran over its nuclear program are coming up against three major obstacles: a lack of direct channels of communication, divisions within the leadership in Tehran, and looming Iranian presidential elections, U.S. officials involved in the talks tell me.
Why it matters: Putting Iran’s nuclear program “back in the box” is one of the Biden administration’s top foreign policy priorities, but the sides have yet to hold direct talks.
- President Biden says he's willing to lift sanctions and return to the 2015 nuclear deal if Iran returns to full compliance, by rolling back the nuclear acceleration it has undertaken since Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.
Behind the scenes: The Iranians have rejected several U.S. proposals to meet formally or even informally.
- The U.S. officials tell me all of their communications with Tehran are coming indirectly, through the E3 (France, the U.K. and Germany), Russia, China or the EU.
- This takes more time and has led to several misunderstandings, the U.S. officials say.
In recent weeks, the U.S. has sent messages to Iran that it is ready to either start with mutual first steps and follow a gradual process from there, or for both sides to immediately return to full compliance with the deal, the U.S. officials tell me.
- Through the indirect channels, the U.S. has been trying to gauge what it will take to get the talks going. At one point, the U.S. believed the Iranians were ready to accept a step-by-step approach. Then the Iranians made clear that they were not.
- The U.S. had proposed that the process begin with the U.S. unfreezing Iranian funds held in South Korea, and Iran taking steps to end some of its violations of the deal, according to U.S. and Israeli sources briefed on the matter. The Iranians rejected that proposal.
Between the lines: The Biden administration is struggling to understand how exactly the Iranians want to proceed, and thinks the lack of clarity is due in part to divisions within the Iranian leadership, U.S. officials say.
- One key debate seems to be over whether to engage with the U.S. before or after the elections in June.
What to watch: Politico reported on Monday that the U.S. is developing a new proposal for Iran in an attempt to get the talks started.
- But an Iranian official told state TV that Iran won't scale back its nuclear activities before the U.S. removes all sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.
- "The Biden administration is losing time. If it fails to lift the sanctions soon, Iran will take the next steps, which will be further reduction of its JCPOA commitments," the Iranian official added.
Where things stand: The U.S. is discussing new ideas internally and with the other parties to the nuclear deal, but no consensus has been reached, one U.S. official told me.
- “The process will take more time because the discussions between the U.S. and Iran are indirect," the official said.