TEHRAN, Apr 5 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, called on European participants in the 2015 nuclear agreement, to maintain a “constructive” attitude in the meeting, scheduled for Apr 6 (tomorrow), in Vienna.
Zarif made the demand on Saturday, in a telephone conversation with his British counterpart, Dominic Raab, the official website of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported yesterday.
The two diplomats discussed latest developments related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the call, held at Raab’s request, according to the report.
Zarif reiterated Tehran’s position that, Iran will return to its JCPOA obligations, after the “illegal and unjust” sanctions imposed by the U.S. are “completely and definitively” lifted and verified by Iran.
Raab said, according to the Iranian source, that his country will make efforts for the negotiations to bear fruits.
Parties to the Iran nuclear deal agreed to convene in Austria, tomorrow, to discuss ways to bring the deal back to life.
U.S. State Department spokesman, Ned Price, confirmed on Friday that Washington’s representatives will attend the Vienna encounter, and said, the country remains “open to” direct talks with Iran.
Iran has ruled out any “direct or indirect” contacts with U.S. representatives in Vienna.
The two countries are in a standoff over reviving the nuclear deal. The Joe Biden administration said that, if Iran returns to full compliance with the JCPOA, Washington would do the same. But Iran insists its full compliance will only take place once U.S. sanctions are removed.
The deal was reached in 2015, between Iran and the United States, Britain, Russia, France, China, Germany and the European Union.
Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May, 2019, one year after the administration of former U.S. President, Donald Trump, unilaterally abandoned the agreement and reimposed sanctions against Iran.– NNN-IRNA
