Call for West’s Flexibility in Vienna Talks

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian called on western parties in talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal to show flexibility, in which case an agreement can be finalized soon.
He said Iran has so far taken lots of initiatives and shown the required flexibility at the negotiating table.
“We’re saying very clearly to them that ‘now it is your turn.’ It is time to see initiatives and flexibility from the western side,” he said in an interview with Euronews.
Negotiations in the Austrian capital Vienna began in April to restore the nuclear deal that has been unraveling since the United States pulled out unilaterally and reimposed tough sanctions that prompted Iran to respond by rolling back on its commitments.
The talks are in their eighth round and have reached a point where important political decisions need to be made, according to diplomatic sources.
Amir-Abdollahian said negotiators are approaching an agreement, although there are remaining issues which are Iran’s red lines.
“We believe if the western side looks at what is going on in Vienna more realistically, in less than a few hours, we can finalize the deal,” he said.
When Iran says the talks are closer than ever to a deal, he added, it is because it has informed the Americans through intermediaries that it is now their turn to decide.
“For us, any exact timing for a deal is in the hands of the western side. It depends on their realism and their initiatives,” he said.

Responsibility for Failure

Iran says it will reverse its nuclear steps once it verifies that all US sanctions are effectively removed. It also demands guarantees that no future US government would violate the deal again.
Amir-Abdollahian said the Iranian team will remain at the negotiating table, applying themselves seriously, despite the fact that on several occasions, when there were difficult phases of the negotiations, the western side raised the possibility of leaving the table.
“If the other side doesn’t show the required flexibility and creativity, without any doubt, they will be responsible if the negotiation fails.”
He also highlighted a paradox between the American government’s expression of goodwill and its actual behavior.
“On the one hand, they send messages of goodwill and on the other hand, at the same time, sometimes even on the same day, they impose new sanctions against some of our individuals and officials,” he said, adding that Iran will judge Americans on their behavior.
Tehran and Washington are also engaged in a dispute over an exchange of prisoners. Although American officials say the matter has to be dealt with separately from the Vienna talks, US negotiator Robert Malley has suggested that securing the nuclear pact is unlikely unless Tehran frees American citizens detained in Iran.
Amir-Abdollahian said Iran has announced that it is ready, either outside the Vienna talks or alongside them, to exchange prisoners when the other side is ready.
“We’ve announced that we’re ready, either outside the Vienna talks or alongside them, to exchange prisoners when the other side is ready.” He said.