As the indirect talks between Iran and the US to restore the 2015 nuclear deal enter the final stretch, two key obstacles seemingly remain: the former Donald Trump administration’s designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), and the sanctioning of hundreds of Iranian individuals and entities over their alleged affiliations with the elite force.

Amid the standoff, the Iranian foreign minister on Mar. 26 seemed to indicate flexibility. In an interview with Iranian state television, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that senior IRGC commanders had “always reminded him” that he should do “whatever is necessary for national interests” and that “if you reach a point where the IRGC issue is raised, this should not become an obstacle for you"...