Araqchi Hints at Consensus on Removal of Sectoral Sanctions
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s top negotiator in the latest round of talks about the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal and a possible return of the US to the JCPOA said agreements have been made about the removal of all sectoral sanctions, namely those imposed on Iran’s oil, banking, and shipping sectors.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting at the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission on Sunday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said efforts are underway to terminate all sanctions in the course of the Vienna negotiations.
He explained that the US has imposed two types of sanctions on Iran, including the sanctions against the natural and legal persons, and the sectoral sanctions, namely those targeting the Iranian oil, banking, insurance, shipping, petrochemical, construction and automotive industry sectors.
“The list of sanctions relating to individuals is a long list containing around 1,500 cases. But we are moving in both directions. The sectoral sanctions must be lifted altogether, and I believe there are agreements about it,” he added.
Araqchi also emphasized that a step-by-step plan for the removal of sanctions has been taken off the table since long ago.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran dismissed the proposal for the step-by-step lifting of sanctions before Nowruz (March 20), and the step-by-step initiative is by no means mooted at the ongoing negotiations,” he added.
The senior negotiator emphasized that Iran will not allow the JCPOA negotiations to turn into talks of attrition.
“If we feel that the other side lacks seriousness or seeks to buy time or add other subjects to the discussions, we will interrupt the negotiations. In the meantime, we would not hurry and are not hasty, because there are serious topics in the negotiations that must be addressed carefully,” he added.
The talks began in Vienna on April 6 between Iran and the remaining members of the nuclear deal, namely the UK, France, Russia and China plus Germany.
The US left the JCPOA in 2018 and restored the economic sanctions that the accord had lifted. Tehran retaliated with remedial nuclear measures that it is entitled to take under the JCPOA’s Paragraph 36.
The current negotiations examine the potential of revitalization of the nuclear deal and the US’ likely return to it.