No initiative received from US in Vienna talks: Iran

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Iran has so far received no proposed text from the US in the Vienna talks on the restoration of a 2015 nuclear deal, the Iranian Foreign Minister has said…reports Asian Lite news


Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Sunday said in an interview with IRIB state TV that Iran has seen “no serious or remarkable initiative” from the US.

The negotiations, he added, will achieve progress based on expert views and agreements, the outcome of which will be a “good agreement” that would serve the interests of the country and its people, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Iranian Minister said Tehran welcomes any executive order or measure by the Biden administration that would lead to the lifting of the sanctions reimposed after the US unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“What is important to us is the American side’s action. We look at what happens on the ground,” Amir Abdollahian added.

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Asked about the possibility of a temporary two-year agreement, he said, “We are looking for a good agreement, not a limited one that lasts for a specific period of time.”

The US government announced on Friday that it was waiving sanctions on Iran’s civilian nuclear program, which allows international nuclear cooperation projects.

Cautious optimism

An Iranian top security official has underlined cautious optimism about the progress in the Vienna talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, calling for a “balance” in the parties’ commitments.

“Despite the limited progress in the Vienna talks, we are still far from achieving the necessary balance in the commitments of the parties,” Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, tweeted on Sunday.

“Political decisions in Washington are requirements for balance of commitments to reach a good agreement,” he said.

Iran and world powers signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in July 2015. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties to revive the pact, Xinhua news agency reported.

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