Greek authorities impounded Iranian flagged tanker carrying oil earlier this month citing US sanctions on Iran. The United States later confiscated the oil.

Talks to revive the 2015 Iran deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA, remain stalled after a year of intensive diplomacy.

Iran celebrated its national nuclear energy day on April the 9th 2022 by unveiling 9 new domestic nuclear achievements, despite draconian US sanctions.

Western parties to the JCPOA, and now to the JCPOA-revival talks, have waged a media war on Iran, depicting Tehran as carrying all blame for the talks dragging on and maybe failing.

Iran and the P 4+1 are completing a draft text of an agreement to revive the 2015 deal. Most participants acknowledge that the talks have reached a critical stage, “however, being near the finish line does not guarantee crossing it”.

Although the 8th round of the Vienna sanctions removal talks has begun, many lawmakers in Washington have shown their opposition to the deal and have vowed to block any possible deal.

The exemptions are meant to facilitate talks in Vienna and to revive the JCPOA, according to the US state department, but Iran says this move is not enough.