Charges against Iranian should not affect nuclear diplomacy, U.S. official says

The United States does not believe charges against an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member for allegedly plotting to murder former White House official John Bolton should affect nuclear diplomacy with Iran, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.

"In our view, it shouldn't," said the official on condition of anonymity, adding that the Justice Department pursued charges against Shahram Poursafi independent of U.S. diplomacy with Iran. Washington is seeking to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under which Tehran had curbed its nuclear program in return for relief from U.S., EU and U.N. sanctions.