What Happened: Iran said it submitted a written response to the EU-mediated roadmap on restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal shortly before midnight on Aug. 15, France24 reported Aug. 16. An EU spokesperson said on Aug. 16 that they were studying Iran's response in consultation with the United States.

Why It Matters: Iran's response keeps open the possibility of further JCPOA negotiations. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Aug. 15 said the United States still had to guarantee that future U.S. administrations would stay committed to the deal, which may be impossible for Washington to promise. As a result, the success of future talks remains uncertain.

Background: According to Politico, Iran's response to the European Union did not contain further demands related to the International Atomic Energy Agency's probe into nuclear material found at three undeclared sites. The European Union had set an unofficial deadline for midnight on Aug. 15 for the United States and Iran to respond to the draft text it shared on Aug. 8.