VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

After 16 months of grueling negotiations, Iran and the United States are closing in to restore the 2015-nuclear deal. The U.S. has responded to a proposal from Iran to revive the nuclear deal agreed in 2015.

The 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed by Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Under this deal, Iran promised to limit its nuclear program to a certain level. As compensation, the U.S. and Western countries are willing to stop various economic sanctions against Iran.

But later on, the U.S. under Donald Trump's administration declared its withdrawal from the JCPOA on May 8, 2018 and threatened to impose tougher economic sanctions on Iran.

The exit from the JCPOA actually does not benefit  the international community, including the U.S. itself. On one hand, with the collapse of the JCPOA, the Iranian people are increasingly suffering from sanctions from the U.S. and the West. On the other hand, Iran seems to have room to violate nuclear restrictions.

Realizing the benefits of the JCPOA, the European Union took the initiative to negotiate with related parties. The negotiations to restore the JCPOA deal have been ongoing for months. One thing that has become a tough point is the issue of lifting sanctions that has been reimposed on Iran since the collapse of the JCPOA, due to the unilateral withdrawal by the U.S. in 2018.

Earlier this August, the European Union submitted a proposal to revive the 2015-nuclear deal which has been   responded by the U.S. Spokesperson for the U.S. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ned Price, as quoted by Media Indonesia (25/08) said that the U.S. had reviewed the proposals submitted by the European Union, including the request to lift sanctions.

Iran said it had received the U.S. response to the European Union's draft proposal to restore the 2015-nuclear deal, and would discuss it with the European bloc after a review.

Indeed, there is still no certainty about success so far. But at the very least, the positive response from the U.S. to the European Union's proposal creates confidence that the great power appears to be getting closer to signing a new nuclear deal with Iran.

It is hoped that the nuclear deal with Iran can be restored sooner. The 2015-nuclear deal is very beneficial for world peace. One of them is significantly limiting Iran's nuclear program which is seen as a threat if not limited.