US Must Prove Goodwill in JCPOA Talks: Iran’s FM

The Iranian foreign minister delivered a speech to the first meeting of the National Coordinators of the Group of Friends in Defense of the United Nations Charter, held in Tehran on Saturday.

In his remarks, Amirabdollahian reaffirmed Iran’s firm determination to restore its inalienable right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in all forms, including uranium enrichment.

He also noted that Iran is committed to the continuation of talks on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with goodwill and on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

The top diplomat emphasized that the purpose of the nuclear talks must be a strong commitment by all parties to the full implementation of their undertakings under the JCPOA.

“However, the US must prove that it has goodwill and genuine resolve and does not intend to use the negotiations for killing time and looking for another excuse for the continuation of breach of its commitments and the continuation of the sanctions, to which that country has become severely addicted,” Amirabdollahian noted.

In July 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers, agreeing to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. However, former US president Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the agreement in May 2018 and re-imposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to abandon some of the pact's commitments.

The talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal began in Vienna in April 2021 but were suspended in March of this year due to political differences between Tehran and Washington.

The Iranian officials say Tehran needs strong guarantees that it can reap the economic benefits from the deal and the other party will not unilaterally withdraw from it again.