Negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear deal can only succeed by engaging with “genuine political will and in good faith,” said Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Majid Takht-Ravanchi also said the success of the talks requires adherence to the single principle of “full, effective and verifiable implementation” by all sides of all commitments under the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
“Nothing more and nothing less. This is the most pragmatic and easily achievable solution at the earliest time. There is no magic solution,” he said in a statement before the UN Security Council.
Takht-Ravanchi’s statement was on non-proliferation, specifically the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2231 which endorsed the JCPOA in 2015.
The landmark nuclear deal, which restricted Iran’s nuclear activities in return for an easing of sanctions, was signed between Iran and six world powers, but has been in a shambles since the United States pulled out and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran, prompting it to react by scaling down its commitments.
Fresh negotiations have been going on in Vienna, Austria, since April to revive the accord by working out how both sides can return to full compliance.
Takht-Ravanchi stressed that Iran has demonstrated its genuine political will, seriousness and constructive engagement with its interlocutors to arrive at a good agreement as soon as possible.
“Now, it is time for the other sides to prove that they are genuinely willing to accept and implement, effectively and in good faith, all their JCPOA commitments.”
He said Iran continues its remedial measures concurrent with the Vienna talks because the other parties’ non-performance of their obligations persists and sanctions are still in full force.
“Nevertheless, as soon as other parties implement all their obligations in a full, effective and verifiable manner, Iran will immediately reverse its measures in full,” he assured.
Necessary Approach
Iran demands a complete and verifiable removal of sanctions, plus assurances of non-repetition, before reversing its countermeasures.
The UN ambassador said Iran insists on the effective removal of all sanctions at once and in a verifiable manner, because the way that the US has treated its international obligations has necessitated such an approach.
“When such customary and very fundamental principle of international law is … violated, no nation trusts the culprit, and so do we,” he said, adding that the provision of verifiable and objective guarantees that such violations will not happen again are therefore absolutely necessary.
He censured certain countries for deceptively portraying Iran’s insistence on the full and verifiable restoration of its rights as an unconstructive and inflexible position, while keeping silent about the unlawful and inhumane US sanctions that are equivalent to economic terrorism.
Takht-Ravanchi also emphasized that attempts to link the JCPOA’s implementation to extraneous issues or raising ideas such as the renegotiation of the deal to expand its scope or extend its timelines or proposals like more for more or less for less are totally unacceptable and doomed to fail.
“Iran is determined to make every effort to restore the JCPOA as [it] is,” he said.
“If the other sides have a genuine political will to revive the JCPOA, they must be courageous enough to accept full, effective and verifiable implementation of all their obligations agreed upon under the JCPOA in 2015,” he added.
The Iranian negotiating team has recently put forward two proposals which include reforms on previously agreed drafts.
This raised the criticism of western sides who accused Iran of backtracking on past diplomatic progress and is making maximalist demands.
Takht-Ravanchi said the proposals are in full conformity with the JCPOA and resolution 2231.
“Iran has done much more than its fair share to preserve the JCPOA, and those who have violated their commitments … bear more responsibility to revive it. They cannot play victim and blame Iran,” he said.
