Iran FM: Iran is serious in Vienna talks but not trusting ‘the enemy’

Iran’s Chief nuclear negotiator has stressed that although the Islamic republic is serious concerning the Vienna talks, it is determined not to trust “the enemy”, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry…reports Asian Lite News

Ali Bagheri Kani, who is also Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, made the remarks on the sidelines of the 26th International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition, titled Iran Oil Show, in Tehran on Sunday.

“Iran is serious in the process of the Vienna talks and fulfillment of its international commitments, including those pertaining to the removal of the sanctions, to the same extent that it is determined to refrain from trusting the enemy and relying on foreigners for protection from the coercive measures,” he said.

The diplomat added that “revolutionary wisdom” says that Iran must use all its diplomatic capacities to safeguard its national interests, Xinhua news agency reported.

He gave the assurance that the Iranian Foreign Ministry will use all international capacities for “neutralising the sanctions” in addition to making all-out diplomatic efforts aimed at the “maximum removal” of the US sanctions.

Bagheri Kani emphasised that the strategic policy of “neutralising the sanctions”, coupled with the smart initiative of lifting the embargoes, has foiled enemy’s plots to stop Iran’s development.

Iran has turned “the art of bypassing the sanctions” into “the knowledge of neutralising the sanctions,” he said, adding at present, other sanctioned countries seek to use the Islamic republic’s knowledge and experience.

Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with the world powers in July 2015, accepting to put some curbs on its nuclear program in return for the removal of the sanctions on Tehran.

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However, former US President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed Washington’s unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting Iran to reduce some of its nuclear commitments under the agreement in retaliation.

Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties to revive the deal.

Iran insists on obtaining guarantees that the succeeding US governments would not drop the deal again and calls for lifting the sanctions in a verifiable manner.