Tehran and Washington: Back to the Nuclear Deal, and Beyond?

The Biden administration has begun an intensive process of trying to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear agreement with Iran that President Donald J. Trump withdrew from in 2018. Both sides say they are willing to abide by their existing commitments on a “compliance-for-compliance” basis. But that could be more complicated than it sounds.

What does compliance look like for both Washington and Tehran? Which sanctions is Washington willing to lift or ignore, and which will remain in force? Will Washington stick to its professed determination to secure a new or expanded agreement that deals with Iran’s missile program and support for nonstate actors in Arab countries? What can be achieved before Iran’s presidential election in June, and what impact could the outcome have on the future of these negotiations?

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