Good progress has been made in talks with European powers to rescue the 2015 nuclear agreement, a senior official said on Monday, adding that further negotiations will be held, if required.
"We have made good progress and have gained a better understanding of the nature and mechanisms of future cooperation," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi told a regular press briefing in Tehran, Tasnim News Agency reported.
He expressed hope that Iran will receive Europe's final proposal before US sanctions on the country's petroleum sector kick in on Nov. 4.
"High-level talks will be held between representatives of the remaining parties to the deal, should the need arise," Qasemi said.
Since earlier this year, when the US pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal that was a centerpiece of US former president Barack Obama's diplomacy, the Trump administration has pressed ahead with punishing sanctions against Tehran.
The leading countries of Europe, meanwhile, have been trying to preserve the accord—officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—and have announced plans to set up an alternative payment mechanism that would sidestep the American-dominated banking system and Washington's new sanctions.
> Pipe Dream
Qasemi said Washington's dream of reducing Iran's oil exports to zero will never come true.
"The necessary mechanisms [to keep oil trade going] have already been devised in talks with other countries," he said, predicting that the country's oil exports will continue at an optimal level.
The official said it would be better not to go into specifics to help thwart hostile attempts by the enemies, including the Americans, against Tehran.
The United States had originally pledged to drive Iran's oil exports—the lifeblood of its economy—down to zero but is now actively considering waivers on sanctions for countries that are reducing their purchases of Iranian crude, which represents an easing of its "zero tolerance" position.
> Treaty of Amity
The Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed that Iran has received a "written note" from the US about its withdrawal from the Treaty of Amity signed between the two countries in 1955.
Washington said it would terminate the treaty in response to a recent UN court order calling on the US to ease sanctions on Iran in a case based on the decades-old agreement.
Qasemi said the pullout would take at least a year to take effect and Iran will take additional steps to pursue the case, details of which will be released later.
> Syria Reconstruction
On Syria, the spokesman said the Iranian government plans to make arrangements for the participation of the private sector in the reconstruction of the Arab country, which has been troubled by bloody violence for more than seven years.
"We hope Iran's private sector will be able to take part in efforts toward this end and help the Syrian nation."
Qasemi defended Iran's advisory presence in Syria at the request of the government of Bashar al-Assad and criticized US interference in the internal affairs of the Arab state.
"The US presence in Syria is in violation of international law and against the will of Syria," he said.
The spokesman noted that recent comments by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about reconstruction efforts in Syria prove that Washington is using humanitarian issues as a "political tool" to advance its own agenda.
The chief US diplomat said on October 10 that the United States will refuse any additional reconstruction assistance to war-torn Syria so long as Iranian forces are present in the country, AFP reported.
"Iran's presence in Syria is only related to the two countries' governments and the United States has no right to comment on this issue," Qasemi said, adding that US interests lie in triggering regional insecurity and instability.
