EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said that he was less optimistic about reaching an agreement on a revival of the Iran nuclear deal than he was only a short while ago. “I am sorry to say that I am less confident today than 28 hours before...about the prospects of closing the deal right now,” Borrell told reporters in Brussels on Monday. Meanwhile, Tehran repeated its request to end the International Atomic Energy Agency’s investigation to continue the diplomatic “marathon” aimed at reviving the nuclear agreement. It also ruled out allowing US companies to work in Iran if Washington lifted economic sanctions under the potential agreement. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a press conference on Monday that an agreement was “subject to closing the nuclear allegations matter.” He added that the nuclear agreement - officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action - and the indirect negotiations with Washington by the European Coordinator “revolve around closing the nuclear allegations against Iran, and the matter has nothing to do with the bilateral relations between Iran and the United States.” The White House said on Friday, that there should be no link between the re-implementation of the Iranian nuclear agreement, and the verification of whether Tehran has fulfilled its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, in reference to investigations by the Atomic Energy Agency into the effects of uranium found in three unannounced Iranian sites. On Thursday, Tehran sent its last response to the European Union’s proposal on the means to revive the agreement. Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Kanani as saying that Iran’s response could “create the grounds for a conclusion of the talks and for an agreement in a short amount of time if there is also mutual political will.” - America Companies In response to a question on whether Iran would allow American companies to operate in Iran if the nuclear agreement is revived, Kanani told the reporters: “The nuclear agreement and the possible agreement in the future do not regulate Iranian-American bilateral relations; rather, it is to resolve unnecessary crises related to Iranian activities…” Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei had closed the door on US companies, in his first speech after the nuclear agreement was reached in July 2015, and issued warnings against “Western penetration” in Iranian decision-making centers. - On Energy Kanani pointed to the possibility of the return of Iranian oil and gas exports after the lifting of sanctions, in light of the energy crisis that is hitting the European continent. “Despite the sanctions, Iran has maintained its presence in international markets,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said, adding: “Given Europe’s energy supply problems triggered by the Ukraine crisis, Iran could provide Europe’s energy needs if sanctions against it are lifted.” - Thorny Issue The IAEA investigations constitute a stumbling block to reviving the 2015 agreement, under which Iran curbed its nuclear program in return for the easing of US, UN and European Union sanctions. Since February 2021, Iran has frozen some inspection and monitoring measures under the nuclear deal. Those included ending the temporary implementation of the Additional Protocol concluded between the IAEA and some member states that enables the Agency to carry out rapid inspections based on short notices of undeclared sites. Tehran signed the Additional Protocol in 2003 but never ratified it Iran has abandoned the transparency measures contained in the 2015 agreement that allow monitoring of some sectors of its nuclear program. Last June, the IAEA Board of Governors, by an overwhelming majority, passed a resolution drafted by the United States, France, Britain and Germany criticizing Iran for its failure to explain the presence of uranium traces at the mentioned sites. Later this month, 35 countries will meet in the IAEA Council of Governors to discuss differences with Iran, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.