Qatar Advocates Dialogue Among Persian Gulf States

Qatar continues to support regional dialogue involving Iran and Persian Gulf Arab states, the country’s foreign minister said on Wednesday. 
“Such talks can produce positive outcomes for the nations of the region,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said in a joint press briefing with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran, ISNA reported. 
He added that his Iranian counterpart also had an approving view about engagement in regional dialogue. 
Amir-Abdollahian said that in his productive conversation with the Qatari top diplomat, they stressed the need to improve intra-regional mechanisms and collaborations. 
“Qatar has always played a supportive role and taken constructive steps regarding regional dialogue and promoting such talks,” he said. 
Al-Thani later stressed the importance of a return by all parties to their commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. 
The deal was signed between Iran and the six world powers and offered sanctions relief to Tehran in return for curbs on its nuclear program, but the US pulled out four years ago and Iran exceeded its limits in response to the US maximum pressure. 
Negotiations in Vienna, Austria, to bring both sides back to compliance reached an impasse in March, until the European Union suggested trilateral talks in Doha to clear the way for the conclusion of an agreement, although the first round did not achieve much progress.  
“It is important that all sides, participants and neighboring countries put up constructive efforts to help the success of nuclear talks,” he said. 
Persian Gulf Arab nations are reportedly being encouraged to play a more active role as the EU’s part as mediator is reaching its limit. 
“We always try to support these talks to achieve an agreement which addresses the concerns of all sides and paves the way for the return of all parties to full compliance,” Al-Thani said. 
Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that Iran is ready to reach a good, strong and lasting agreement, stressing that the Islamic Republic is not making maximalist demands beyond the purview of the JCPOA as claimed by American officials. 
“Our demands are completely within the framework of the 2015 deal,” he said. 
In recent talks, Iran has been focused on effective guarantees by the US about whatever that would affect Iran’s economic benefit from the JCPOA and this demand is not maximalist and extraneous, according to the foreign minister. 
“The US must undertake that Iran would enjoy the complete economic benefits of the 2015 deal and this is what the American side has not been able so far to assure us of,” he said. 
“I stress once again that we have good faith and favor logical negotiations and we are serious along this course.”