Deal in JCPOA Talks Possible If US Abandons Sanctions as Negotiating Leverage: Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry reiterated that an agreement in the talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal will be achievable if the US honors its JCPOA commitments in full and stops using sanctions as a negotiating leverage.
“It is the United States that must make its decision and return to the JCPOA by removing illegal sanctions (on Iran) and effectively fulfilling all its commitments” under the JCPOA, Saeed Khatibzadeh said at a press conference on Friday.
He stressed that the Islamic Republic had “never left the JCPOA to return to it.”
“The United States and the Europeans know best that Iran made its decision when, despite the US’ unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA, imposition of illegal and oppressive sanctions against the Iranian people and inaction of Europe, it remained in agreement and kept the JCPOA alive,” Khatibzadeh added, responding to a question about the position announced by the US and French foreign ministers that they are waiting for Iran's decision to return to the nuclear deal.
He said that during the Vienna talks, whose sixth round has come to an end, it was repeatedly stated that it was the US that had upset the balance of the JCPOA and that practically prevented the implementation of the deal in a fully non-compliant manner, Press TV reported.
“It has also been repeatedly emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran is fully prepared to suspend compensatory measures and resume the implementation of its obligations under the JCPOA if the US fully implements them,” the Iranian spokesman noted, adding that other parties of the deal are well aware of Iran's position.
“Our position has not changed since the beginning of the Vienna talks. We demand the full removal of US sanctions in a verifiable manner, and then the cessation of compensatory measures and the resumption of Iran's commitments,” Khatibzadeh stressed, saying that it is the opposing parties that have to make their decision.
The latest round of talks to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action has begun 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.