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A sense of pessimism on the fate of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal prevailed in New York on Friday, despite a week of meetings among US, European and Iranian diplomats and a vague promise from Iran's top diplomat that Tehran wants talks to resume "very soon".
The new Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, made it clear that Tehran is looking for action from the administration of President Joe Biden on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We are an action-orientated government. For us, words are important, but more important is action,” Mr Amir-Abdollahian told a group of reporters on Friday.
“We have not seen one iota of a positive action [from the US],” he added.
Without giving a date, Mr Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran’s desire is to return “very soon” to the table with the countries party to the deal, but that it needs to “see negotiations that can lead to positive, tangible action".
"We are reviewing the Vienna negotiations files currently and very soon Iran's negotiations with the four plus one countries will recommence," Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said, referring to Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.
He did not specify which actions Tehran is seeking, but mentioned US restrictions prohibiting Iran from accessing medical funds and more than 1,600 other sanctions that the Biden team has kept from the Trump era.
Mr Amir-Abdollahian was more optimistic about the prospects of regional dialogue with neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia and mentioned the Yemen war as one area that the two sides have been discussing.
Except for Israel, which Mr Amir-Abdollahian called a “fake regime”, Iran is looking to engage in neighbourly relations with other countries in the region.
Iran's stated desire to return to the negotiating table comes as US negotiators voice growing urgency on the need to resume talks to cap the country’s uranium enrichment.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week warned that time is running out.
“Every passing day, as Iran continues to take actions that are not in compliance with the agreement, particularly building larger stockpiles of highly enriched uranium to 20 per cent, even 60 per cent and spinning faster centrifuges, we will get to a point … at which simply returning to the JCPOA will not recapture the benefits of the agreement,” Mr Blinken said on Thursday.
A senior US official told The National that ultimately, Iran would return to the table but he expressed concerns about its new hard-line government under conservative President Ebrahim Raisi.
Mr Raisi this week unleashed an anti-US diatribe at the UN General Assembly, blasting America for its "hegemony".
“We are worried that this team has different intentions. All of the P5+1 countries agree that we should come back soon [to the talks] and that we should start from where we left off in the sixth round, but we have no indication yet about when [the Iranians] are coming back, who is going to lead their team and whether they are prepared to continue where we dropped off,” the US official said.
Asked about US options if the talks remain stalled, the official said Washington must examine those.
“Every government has to look at options and make plans. We will have ways to deal with a situation where Iran refuses to return to the talks, delays its return for too long or comes back with positions incompatible with a mutual return to compliance with the deal," the official said.
"It's not our preference, but we will be ready."
Speaking on the sidelines of the UNGA, the official added that in their meeting, the US and GCC members were in agreement that a return to the nuclear deal would be a welcome step, but that additional diplomacy would be required to tackle other Iranian issues.
“The GCC members all seemed on the same page as we are that even if you reach an agreement [with Iran], you need to deal with [its] other activities,” he said, adding that the US was already co-ordinating with parties in the region in this regard.
In its latest assessment, the Eurasia policy group said this week that the revival of the Iran nuclear agreement is unlikely to occur this year given mounting uncertainty about Tehran’s interest and the shrinking timetable.
The group put the chances of a continued stalemate in 2021 at 70 per cent, up from 45 per cent last month.
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Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
