Iran’s FM Urges US’ Realistic Approach for A Deal in Vienna Talks


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian hoped for the US’ realistic and pragmatic approach and its acceptance of the legitimate demands of Iran for a final agreement in the Vienna talks on the removal of sanctions and revival of the JCPOA.

"We have conveyed our message to America through the Europeans. We hope that the American side, with a realistic and pragmatic view and acceptance of the legitimate demands of the Islamic Republic of Iran, will provide the ground for an agreement on the final text," Amirabdollahian told his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavosoglu on phone late Wednesday.

The negotiations between Iran and the Europeans plus Russia and China to revive the 2015 nuclear deal through removing US sanctions on Tehran have dragged on since April 2021. While the Biden administration has claimed to be ready to return to compliance with the deal which its predecessor abandoned in 2018, it has taken no practical measures to undo Washington's past wrongs.

On Monday, an Iranian foreign ministry official dismissed US media reports that a text for restoring the deal with Iran had been completed and that negotiations in Vienna were finished.

Iranian officials have said they had already conveyed an initial response to the draft and would come back with additional views at a later point.

The Nournews website, which is affiliated to the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, said the Islamic Republic has clearly announced from the beginning that it will not sign a text until it is sure of an agreement on all the discussed issues that will fully secure the interests of the Iranian nation.

Cavosoglu "expressed hope that the current negotiations will soon come to a conclusion in order to secure the rights of the Iranian nation and the common interests of all parties."

In a phone call on Monday, Amirabdollahian told EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Iran “expected that all sides show determination and seriousness to reach the final text of the agreement.” 

The Iranian foreign minister, in his talks with Cavosoglu, also "strongly condemned the brutal attack of the Zionist regime on Gaza, the assassination of resistance commanders and the martyrdom of a group of defenseless Palestinian people, especially the killing of innocent children".

Cavosoglu also emphasized the unjustifiability and inhumanity of the killing of civilians, especially children by Israel.

The two top diplomats touched on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Tehran last month with a high-ranking delegation, assessing it as positive. They also exchanged views on how to follow up on the agreements and achievements of the 7th meeting of the Iran-Turkey Supreme Cooperation Council.

Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian cited President Ebrahimi Raisi's order to diligently pursue the agreements reached during Erdogan's visit to Tehran, saying it is necessary to increase communication between the ministries and institutions of the two countries in order to realize the planned targets in line with the interests of the two nations.