(FreedomBeacon.com)- The Biden administration’s deal with Iran over nuclear weapons has hit a roadblock after the country was allegedly unwilling to further negotiate. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned during a press conference that it is “unlikely” that the U.S. and Iran would agree on a nuclear deal anytime soon, according to Newsmax.
“What we’ve seen over the last week or so in Iran’s response to the proposal put forward by the European Union is clearly a step backward and makes prospects for an agreement in the near-term, I would say, unlikely,” Blinken told reporters.
“Iran seems either unwilling or unable to do what’s necessary to reach an agreement, and they continue to try to introduce extraneous issues to the negotiations that make an agreement less likely.”
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid called for the U.S. and Europe to stop pursuing “failed negotiations with Iran,” leading reports suggesting that the U.S. did “toughen up.” A senior official also reportedly offered information to the Europeans that showed that Iranians were lying to them while talks were ongoing.
The warning of Iran’s unwillingness to continue negotiations came as early as September 8, according to reporting by conservative magazine American Pigeon, leading to fears of how Russia will take advantage of the situation. In a bipartisan letter signed by 50 members of Congress, written by Congressman Josh Gotthheimer (D-NJ), he expressed his concern over the final language included in any deal with the Iranians.
“It has been reported that under this proposed deal, Russia will be the de facto judge of compliance and the keeper of Iran’s enriched uranium, without any oversight mechanisms by the United States or our European partners,” wrote the Congressmembers.
Other reports suggest that Russia has been a “key partner” in the Iran deal discussions, leading many to be skeptical.
Former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018 believing that the plan actually put Iran on a path to procuring nuclear weapons. Since, President Biden has attempted to undo the withdrawal, but efforts have been largely unsuccessful.
Iran has reportedly demanded that the International Atomic Energy Agency probe into suggestions of Iran’s nuclear activities be terminated, prompting France, Germany, and the U.K. to issue a joint statement.
“In light of Iran’s failure to conclude the agreement on the table, we will consult with our international partners on how best to deal with Iran’s continued nuclear escalation,” the statement read.