Tehran is focused on achieving a result in negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and pursues the talks with determination and optimism, but it is not upbeat about the United States’ intentions, said a senior Iranian diplomat.
“The correct way is to avoid early judgment and focus all the power on reaching an outcome,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a regular press briefing on Monday, IRNA reported.
He added that Iran would not engage in “the psychological operation” of expressing optimism or pessimism to affect the course of the negotiations.
While other parties were running propaganda campaigns against the talks, Iran directed all its energy at reaching a draft to serve as the basis for the next round of negotiations.
The remarks come amid western parties’ pessimistic assessments of efforts in the Austrian capital Vienna during the seventh round of talks which concluded on Friday.
Last week’s intensive talks resulted in two new agreed drafts which incorporate Iran’s new ideas and can serve as a basis for future negotiations, according to the diplomat
The negotiators aim to work out how the US and Iran can return to full compliance with the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which lifted sanctions on Tehran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program.
Washington quit the agreement in 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions that prompted Tehran to eventually step beyond the JCPOA’s nuclear limits.
Talks in Vienna were paused in June before the new Iranian government appointed a new delegation to carry on with the negotiations in late November.
The new team put forward two proposals, calling for reforms to previously agreed drafts. This raised criticism by western countries who argued Iran was backtracking on diplomatic progress made.
False and Fabricated
France, Germany and Britain expressed “disappointment and concern”, saying it is “unclear how these new gaps can be closed in a realistic timeframe.”
However, they told The Hill later on Friday that “technical progress” had been made within the final day of this round.
Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser of the US, which is indirectly engaged in the negotiations, also said on Friday the talks are “not going well,” although admitting that the final few days have brought “some progress” at the negotiating table.
Khatibzadeh censured the three European countries for mounting disinformation campaigns instead of pursuing serious talks, adding that “false and fabricated” news was delivered about the process during this round.
He said last week’s intensive talks resulted in two new agreed drafts which incorporate Iran’s new ideas, together with those of the previous team, and can serve as a basis for future talks.
“If the other parties had engaged with their last days’ approach from the first day, we would have reached these drafts earlier,” he said.
The three European states also said the talks were adjourned at Iran’s request for consultations, adding that the decision brings a “disappointing pause” in negotiations.
Khatibzadeh dismissed the claim, stressing that the reason for the conclusion of talks at this point was the approach of Christmas holiday and the Christian New Year.
“It was a consensus that the talks be halted for now and everyone gather round the negotiating table after Christmas with the announcement of Enrique Mora [the European Union coordinator of the talks],” he said, adding the exact date would be made public by Mora in the coming days.
No Position for Ultimatums
Just as Europeans signaled in a statement that they were “rapidly reaching the end of the road” in the nuclear talks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the Washington could soon shift its attention away from attempting to resurrect the 2015 accord.
Khatibzadeh said the US is in no position to issue ultimatums and set deadlines for Iran and the five remaining parties as it has already abandoned the deal.
Sullivan also said on the US alarm that they have communicated both through the Europeans and directly to Iran.
“I’m not going to say more publicly about what those precise messages are because I believe that Iran understands them,” he said.
The Iranian diplomat rejected the claim, saying no direct dialogue has been held with the US over these months.
“Since the beginning of the talks, some messages have been received through Enrique Mora in written or non-written form about the topics of negotiation, and nothing more, and responses have been given at once,” he said.
On Iran’s uranium enrichment targets in case of the failure of Vienna talks, Khatibzadeh said the Islamic Republic, as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, has always adhered to the terms of its Safeguards Agreement.
“What is binding for Iran are only the regulations and commitments under the Safeguards Agreement. The level, amount and quality of enrichment are set based on the requirements of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and nothing else,” he said.
