Saudi Arabia expects that any new nuclear deal between Iran and the United States will restrain Tehran much more firmly than the previous JCPOA, signed in 2015. This was reported by the Israeli TV channel KAN, citing a source in the Saudi royal family.
Riyadh’s expectations became known against the backdrop of negotiations between US and Iranian delegations that started in Oman. An agreement is being discussed that provides for Iran’s complete abandonment of nuclear weapons development and destruction of the relevant infrastructure. This significantly exceeds the scope of commitments enshrined in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the United States withdrew from in 2018 by Donald Trump’s decision.
“If Iran really opens its nuclear facilities to full international control, gives up support for its proxies in the region, and we can avoid war, this will be a good result,” said the Saudi representative.
Riyadh emphasises that it wants real stability, not another formal agreement that has no substance, as was the case with the JCPOA in 2015. The Saudis believe that the current situation is teetering between war and real peace, and the signing of a strong agreement could prevent escalation.
According to The New York Times, Iranian officials are persuading Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to agree to talks with the United States, fearing that a full-scale war could lead to the collapse of the regime.
