Tehran Welcomes Constructive Negotiations With Tangible Results

Iran welcomes constructive talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal which can produce tangible results coming from the fulfilment of all commitments without a waste of time, said Iran’s foreign minister designate.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tehran on Monday, IRNA reported. 
Negotiations started in April in Vienna, Austria, to find ways to restore the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, that has been unravelling since the United States pulled out in 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran, prompting it to scale down its commitments in response. 
Despite good initial progress, the talks reached a halt in June when it came to key areas of difference. It also coincided with a shift of power in Iran following the June 18 presidential elections which brought conservative Ebrahim Raeisi to office.
The US says it is now up to Iran to decide if it is ready to return to full compliance while Tehran blames Washington for the pause in negotiations.
“The ball remains in Iran’s court and we will see if they’re prepared to make the decisions necessary to come back into compliance,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had once said. 
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said, on the other hand, that the US is making “stubborn” demands that Iran would not accept. 
Not only does the US refuse to effectively remove the sanctions and guarantee that it would not repeat its illegal action, but also it staunchly insists on adding a phrase to the existing deal which requires Iran to enter talks on other issues at a later stage, according to him.  
“By adding this clause, they want to provide an excuse for their future intervention in the original JCPOA and missile and regional issues, so if we refuse to discuss those issues, they will accuse Iran of violating the agreement and say the deal is over,” he said.

Logical Negotiating Table

Amir-Abdollahian had said in his hearing before the parliament on Sunday that he sees negotiation as a diplomatic tool but not under threat and intimidation.
He said he would value talks if he receives a vote of confidence as foreign minister, but so long as it is not protracted and guarantees the interests of the Iranian nation.
“We will never run from a logical negotiating table … but we will not tie the Foreign Ministry’s affairs to the JCPOA,” he said.
He also said that along with diplomatic efforts to have the anti-Iran sanctions removed, he would try to neutralize the bans by adopting a “balanced” foreign policy which is not restricted to one particular region. 
In each continent and region, he said his ministry would select several countries as preferences for the expansion of ties with those areas. 
Yet, neighboring and Asian countries would take priority as per the policies of President Raeisi, he added. 
During the Monday meeting, the Japanese top diplomat also reiterated Tokyo’s support for the nuclear deal, calling on all sides to meet their obligations under this important international agreement.
“To Japan, survival of the JCPOA and preservation of peace and security in the region are of great importance,” he said.