Iran’s Shamkhani Criticizes US’ Approach in Vienna Talks
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani criticized the US’ approach towards the ongoing talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, saying it shows that Washington has no desire for a strong deal.
In a post on his Twitter account on Thursday, Iran’s top security official complained about the way Washington is responding to Iran’s principled demands.
Shamkhani also warned that the negotiations in the Austrian capital are becoming more complicated every hour as the US refrains from making a political decision.
“US approach to Iran's principled demands, coupled with its unreasonable offers and unjustified pressure to hastily reach an agreement, show that US isn't interested in a strong deal that would satisfy both parties. Absent US political decision, the talks get knottier by the hour,” he said.
Washington left the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018 and began to implement what it called the “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, depriving the country of the economic benefits of the agreement, including the removal of sanctions, for which Iran had agreed to certain caps on its nuclear activities.
In the meantime, the other parties to the deal, in particular France, Britain and Germany, only paid lip service to safeguarding Iran’s economic dividends as promised under the JCPOA, prompting Iran – after an entire year of “strategic patience” – to reduce its nuclear obligations in a legal move under the deal.
The Vienna talks began last April on the assumption that the US, under the Joe Biden administration, is willing to repeal the so-called maximum pressure policy pursued by former president Donald Trump.
Tehran says it won’t settle for anything less than the removal of all US sanctions in a verifiable manner. It also wants guarantees that Washington would not abandon the agreement again.
