President Biden said the US will not lift sanctions against Iran unless the country stops enriching uranium, continuing a clash with the country’s top leader, who has demanded that sanctions be lifted sooner. that the country once again fulfills its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal.
Norah O’Donnell, presenter and editor of “CBS Evening News,” spoke with Mr. Biden in his first online news interview since taking office. It will be broadcast at 4 p.m. super Bowl Sunday.
“Will the US first lift sanctions to return Iran to the negotiating table?” O’Donnell asked.
“No,” replied Mr. Biden.
“Should they stop enriching uranium first?” O’Donnell asked.
Mr Biden nodded in agreement.
Under Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal, the United States and other world powers agreed to lift crippling economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for limits on the country’s nuclear program. Former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and re-imposed those sanctions. Biden has said he plans to rejoin the deal.
In early January, Iran announced that it had resumed advanced uranium enrichment, violating the terms of the 2015 agreement. A global nuclear surveillance dog also told the United Nations last month that the Iran has begun manufacturing equipment to produce uranium metal, the group said, which can be used to convert the core of a nuclear warhead.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that the US should lift sanctions before Iran fulfills its commitments under the nuclear deals. In November, Iran’s foreign minister said the country would “automatically” return to its commitments if Biden lifted the sanctions imposed by Trump.
To his confirmation hearing last month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that if Iran took the first step and re-complied with the terms of the agreement as it is currently being written, “so would we.”
“But we would use it as a platform to seek a longer and stronger deal, but also to capture these other issues, especially with missiles and other destabilizing activities,” Blinken told senators, adding that “we are a long way from ‘here”.
O’Donnell also asked Mr. Biden about another key foreign relationship: the U.S. and China.
“The U.S.-China relationship is probably one of the most important in the world,” O’Donnell said. “Why didn’t you call Xi Jinping?”
“Well, we haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet,” Mr. Biden replied. “There’s no reason not to call him. I probably spent more time with Xi Jinping, I’m told, than any world leader, because he had 24, 25 hours of private meetings with him when he was vice president. I traveled 17,000 miles with I know him pretty well. “
“Is there much to talk about?” O’Donnell asked.
“A lot to talk about. A lot to talk about,” Biden said. “And he’s very bright. He’s very tough. He doesn’t have – and I don’t mean it as a critique, just reality – he doesn’t have a small, democratic D-bear on his body. But yes – The point is, I’ve told him all along the time it takes have no conflict. But there will be extreme competition. And I won’t do it the way he knows. And that’s because it also sends signals. I won’t do it the way Trump did. We will focus on international road rules. “
The full interview will air Sunday at 4pm ET before the Super Bowl, on CBS only.
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