Next Iranian Admin May Take Over JCPOA Talks: Spokesman

In comments at a weekly press conference on Tuesday, Ali Rabiee said Iran has made clear its stances in the Vienna talks on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, adding that the negotiations have reached a point where all parties should make their decisions.

“We have made and declared our decisions and are waiting for the other sides, including the United States of America, to announce their political decisions so that we could discuss more clearly according to them in the next round of the negotiations.” 

The spokesman also said that if Iran’s demands are not met until the end of tenure of President Hassan Rouhani, the next administration will take over the case at the discretion of the top decision-makers in the Iranian establishment.

“If our views are fulfilled, there won’t be even a moment of delay (in concluding an agreement), but if the demands are not met, the continuation of negotiations will be deferred to the next administration,” Rabiee said.

He further explained that agreements have been reached on the removal of sanctions on the main sectors of Iran’s economy, such as the energy, banking and insurance sectors.

However, the spokesman said, the failure to achieve a consensus on all of the topics on the agenda of the talks will mean that no agreement has been shaped in practice.

Last week, Rouhani said the main issues in the Vienna talks have been settled and that it was possible to have the sanctions lifted right away.

He noted that the next administration will have a much easier job in running the country, since his administration has handled the situation under an unprecedented economic war and while facing the problems in the import of medicine and foodstuff. 

Ebrahim Raeisi, the incumbent Judiciary Chief of Iran, has won the June 18 presidential election by a landslide.

In his first press conference after winning the election, Raeisi took a swipe at the US for violating the JCPOA and at the European states for failing to honor their commitments under the nuclear deal.

“Americans should have lifted all sanctions under the JCPOA, but failed to do so. I advise the Americans to return to their commitments, and Europe should not come under pressure from the US and (should) fulfill its commitments,” he said.

The latest round of talks to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action 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.