more now i'm joined from los angeles by a solid broad a senior research fellow at the national iranian american council it's good to have you on the program we've already heard that further talks are scheduled for friday are you encouraged by what is coming out of vienna. absolutely i think you know there was an initial slow pace of the by the administration to take certain steps and this was a key promise of foreign policy that by and supporters expect it and now we're actually seeing those steps be taken and you know right now you have 2 expert groups that have been tasked with looking at how both parties both the united states and iran can return to full compliance one focused on lifting sanctions on the other focused on nuclear issues so everything we're seeing right now is encouraging the fact that those groups are going to continue hashing that out and that the joint commission will meet again on friday again gives us that sort of optimism that we were lacking in the 1st couple of months of the biting ministration so you can describe it to do list for the iranians and for the americans but we kno

as all wrong with the national iranian american council ms roberts good to have you want to program we appreciate your time your insights tonight thank you thank you for having. well the russian newspaper is reporting that jailed opposition politician alexina valving has been moved to a sick ward the kremlin critic was jailed back in february and has been on a hunger strike since wednesday to protest the lack of medical care and with parliamentary elections less than 6 months away authorities are cracking down on kremlin critics but they could be facing new threats including from within the traditionally loyal communist party really sure when traveled to the southwestern city of saratov where she met a local politician who's determined not to be silenced. in the footsteps of lenin. sees himself as a politician of the people just like his communist forefathers but he has a huge social media presence. because you tube channel has over a 1000000 subscribers fight for your rights is the motto here. his social media accounts show him fighting against corruption and for more equality includi

they are saying fellow at the national iranian american council thank you thank you for having me. ukraine is expelling a russian diplomat after a ukrainian diplomat was detained in st petersburg russia accuses all xander salsa look of trying to obtain classified information ukraine rejects the allegations which come at a time of increasing tensions russian troops have been amassing along ukraine's border charles trafford has more from kiev. he was detained by the f.s.b. on april the 16th is accused of trying to acquire information from russian databases. basically gathering intelligence now the ukrainians have come out in the last hour or so and have made a similar statement. they said that in response to the what they call the provocation the senior diplomat of a russian of the russian embassy will also be expelled from ukraine within 72 hours from april the 19th. we called the ministry of foreign affairs here they seem to be some sort of confusion he was described as the senior diplomat we've now got i clarified that he is a senior russian diplomat that the koreans will also be

for more, i am joined from los angeles by a senior research fellow at the national iranian-american council've heard that further talks are scheduled for friday. are you encouraged by what is coming out of vienna? >> absolutely. i think there was an initial sl pace of the biden edman's ration to take certain steps, and this was a key premise of foreign policy that bidens suppters expected. right now, you have two expert groups that have been tasked with looking at how both parties, both the united states and iran, can return to full compliance, one focused on lifting sanctions, one focused on nuclear issues. those groups will continue hashing it out, and the joint commission will meet on friday. it gives us that optimism we were lacking in the first couple months of the biden administration. brent: were describing a to do list for the iranians and americans, but we know that the rep wrote -- the representatives of both countries are not sitting in the same room at the moment. what do you think it will take for them to meet face-to-face? >> something to keep in mind is that the united states

dr assal rad is a senior research fellow at the national iranian american council.to want to come back to the deal. well, we already have a deal, right, so that's one thing to keep in mind is that, aside from the united states, every other party to the 2015 jcpoa are still a party to the deal, including iran. and so that's why you see these direct talks with everyone except the united states. but, of course, without us co—operation the deal has been very, very difficult to sustain. so there is reason to be hopeful knowing that on both the iranian state under the remaining administration and now in the us under the biden administration there is an impetus to want to come back to the deal. yes. the state of iran's economy suggest they would like sanctions to be lifted. there are plenty out there, in terms of domestic politics, benefiting away from a kind of cold war with the united states and, with elections coming up, that could get complicated. that's why this window of opportunity is so important. elections are coming up injune and iran. under this administration,

let's get more on this now from dr assal rad, senior research fellow at the national iranian american councilg to us. things for your time. what are the chances of a deal, do you think?— do you think? well, we already have a deal. — do you think? well, we already have a deal, right, _ do you think? well, we already have a deal, right, so - do you think? well, we already have a deal, right, so that - do you think? well, we already have a deal, right, so that is i have a deal, right, so that is one thing to keep in mind. aside from the united states, every other party are still a party to the deal, including iran. that is we see direct talks with everyone excluding the united states will stop without us operation the deal has been very difficult to sustain. so there is reason to be hopeful knowing that on both the iranian state under the remaining administration and now in the us under the biden administration there is an impetus to want to come back to the deal. , , ., ., the deal. yes. the state of iran's yukoner _ the deal. yes. the state of iran's yukoner suggest - the deal. yes. the state

potential pitfalls well let's discuss this further now with abdi who is president of the national iranian american council. the former u.s. congress policy adviser is joining us from washington d.c. very good to have you with us mr de so it would seem a positive for with 1st day both iran and the u.s. saying they've had constructive indirect talks but neither side right now seems ready to make concessions just yet what are the chances in your opinion that a deal can be reached in 2 months. but i think i feel confident today i think the fact that the talks are happening is a breakthrough unto itself and the 2 parties are so close we know you know exactly where we are headed we know what the iranians need to do to roll back its nuclear program back to where it needs to be under the nuclear deal what's a little bit murkier is the u.s. sanctions you know because of what donald trump did he not just pulled out of the deal he leveled additional sanctions something that was referred to as a sanctions wall not necessarily aimed at iran but aimed at preventing any trump successor from being able to return to the n