Tehran Ready for Vienna Meeting When Assured of Logical Demands

Iran is ready to hold a ministerial meeting in Vienna, Austria, on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal only when it ensures that its “logical demands” are met, the Iranian top diplomat said.

“The understanding of all sides is that we have had enough negotiations over the past months and our views have been exchanged on the remaining issues,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in his first press conference on Wednesday, IRNA reported.

As such, in the latest message to the European Union coordinator last week, Iran declared that if other parties are ready, a ministerial meeting of parties to the deal can be held in the near future in the Austrian capital, he added.

“[The EU foreign policy chief Josep] Borrell is making the necessary arrangements, but such meeting could only happen when Iran is assured of its logical demands,” the minister stressed.  

The 2015 deal, known the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action lifted sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program, but went out of shape when the United States pulled out and reimposed tough sanctions, prompting Tehran to row back on its commitments in response.

Negotiations have been underway since April 2021 to work out how both sides can resume compliance, but have been stalled for months over final differences.

Uncompromisable Red Lines

US officials have been saying in recent weeks that they are shifting focus from the talks due to other developments, including the recent unrest in Iran.

Tehran, however, maintains that indirect negotiations are underway through diplomatic channels.

“We are exchanging messages in the diplomatic course, but certain US officials continue their hypocritical approache in their statements to the media,” Amir-Abdollahian said.

He also censured western countries’ interventionist approach to Iran’s domestic developments, describing them as unconstructive.

The unrest in Iran that began after the death of a young girl in police custody later developed into violent clashed between rioters and security forces and paved the way for terrorist activities.

Iran blames the west, particularly the US, for abusing the situation to provoke violence and create chaos in the country for their political goals.

“In some days of turmoil in Iran, the American side assumed we were in such position that we would compromise on our red lines, but we told them that we are ready to reach a good and lasting deal in which our red lines are observed,” the foreign minister said.

An important demand by Iran is the closure of investigations by the International Atomic Energy Agency into nuclear material that were allegedly found on undeclared sites in the country.

“The American side suggested that we close conclude a deal on the JCPOA and address issues between Iran and the agency at an appropriate time in the future … but this is one of the Islamic Republic’s red lines,” Amir-Abdollahian stressed.