Marc Finaud: Iran's Supreme Leader authorized direct talk with US

Marc Finaud, Associate Fellow at the GCSP at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), says it is unlikely that the negotiations themselves would start in New York at the General Assembly.

News ID: 5143

Date: 24 September 2024 - 13:46

TABNAK –Marc Finaud, Associate Fellow at the GCSP at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), says it is unlikely that the negotiations themselves would start in New York at the General Assembly where most leaders are very busy with other issues.
He adds that “direct talks between Iran and the US would not be excluded now that they have been authorized by Iran's Supreme Leader.”
Following is the full text of interview:

Q: Massoud Pezeshkian has traveled to New York to attend the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Some media have raised the possibility of his meeting with Joe Biden. What is the importance of the Pezeshkian trip and is there a possibility of meeting with Biden?

A: This is of course a very important opportunity for Iran's new president to engage with the international community in a context of rising tensions in the Middle East. A meeting with president Biden seems unlikely because of the US presidential campaign and the risk that opponents would exploit this as a sign of weakness. However, confidential contacts or communications can't be ruled out and would be helpful.

Q: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has announced that “I will stay in New York for a few more days than the president and will have more meetings with the foreign ministers of more countries; our effort is to start a new round of negotiations regarding the nuclear issue. We are ready for it, and if the other side is ready for it, we can have a new start of negotiations during this trip.” Can this trip be the beginning of nuclear talks?

A: In any case, this would be an opportunity to talk with Iran's potential partners in such negotiations and assess the potential for their revival or pave the way towards them. However, it is unlikely that the negotiations themselves would start in New York at the General Assembly where most leaders are very busy with other issues.

Q: If Europe enters nuclear talks with Iran, will these talks be coordinated by the US?

A: Like it happened previously in Vienna, only the E3/EU, Russia, and China would be part of the official talks within the JCPOA Joint Commission, but the EU Chair could continue its mediation efforts between the US and Iran. However, direct talks between Iran and the US would not be excluded now that they have been authorized by Iran's Supreme Leader.

Q: Araghchi had said before that it doesn't matter to Iran who he talks to in America. It means that Iran has a plan to talk with Harris or Trump. This shows that Iran has a plan to solve the nuclear problem and lift the sanctions. What is your assessment?

A: This is a very pragmatic approach: to talk to whoever is in power. That being said, it seems that Iran's interest would be at least to come to some understanding with the Biden administration while it's still in office while a return of Trump to the White House would make things more difficult, even if Trump said that he would remove sanctions against Iran if re-elected.