Full Termination of Sanctions in Violation of JCPOA Iran’s Goal in Talks: FM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian made it clear for the European Union foreign policy chief that Tehran’s main purpose in attending the Vienna negotiations is to have the sanctions, imposed in contravention of the 2015 nuclear deal, fully lifted.
In a telephone conversation on Friday, Amirabdollahian and Josep Borrell talked about the process of the ongoing negotiations in Vienna between Iran and the P4+1 on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Thanking the EU foreign policy chief and his colleagues for their efforts, the top Iranian diplomat said the process of the Vienna talks is good in general, but sluggish at the same time.
Amirabdollahian emphasized that Iran’s purpose in attending any negotiation and action is the full termination of the sanctions that violate the JCPOA.
“The Iranian delegation is taking part in the negotiations with good will, the necessary authorities, the achievable and progressive initiatives, and in an active manner,” the Iranian foreign minister noted.
Reaffirming Iran’s commitment to technical cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said while Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri is engaged in talks and meetings in Vienna, the Iranian experts are also holding technical and expert negotiations with the P4+1 representatives within the framework of two committees on ending the sanctions and the nuclear issues.
“Despite the US’ breach (of the JCPOA) and the European troika’s inaction, we are attending the Vienna talks with good will. Our team has clear, tangible and practical plans and initiatives at each stage. The West must also present its true initiative for ending the sanctions and stop repeating the previous slogans violating the Iranian nation’s rights and interests,” Amirabdollahian underlined.
He finally noted that a good deal is within reach provided that certain parties change their approach from the language of threat to the language of cooperation, mutual respect and result-oriented act.
For his part, Borrell said it is highly significant that all delegations from Iran, Russia, China, Germany, the UK and France are trying seriously to reach a deal in Vienna.
The EU foreign policy chief said he has reminded Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service for Political Affairs Enrique Mora to stay in active and constructive contact with Iran’s top negotiator and all other delegations in order to achieve an agreement.
Borrell also called on all parties to show flexibility in the Vienna talks.
Expressing satisfaction with the start of the new round of negotiations, the EU foreign policy chief voiced the European Union’s readiness to help address the problems.
At the end of the conversation, Amirabdollahian and Borrell described the atmosphere of the ongoing talks in Vienna as positive.
Envoys from Iran and the P4+1 group of countries began on Monday the seventh round of the talks in the Austrian capital to discuss ways for the removal of US sanctions and reviving the JCPOA.
Former US president Donald Trump left the JCPOA in May 2018 and re-imposed the anti-Iran sanctions that the deal had lifted. He also placed additional sanctions on Iran under other pretexts not related to the nuclear case as part of his “maximum pressure” campaign.
