Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs says the United States has to remove all unilateral and illegal sanctions it has imposed on Iran in one step before expecting the Islamic Republic to resume full compliance with the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Abbas Araqchi made the remarks during an interview with Press TV in Vienna on Thursday after a meeting with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi.
“The US must lift anti-Iran sanctions [and only] then Tehran would resume compliance with [the] JCPOA,” the Iranian deputy foreign minister said.
Araqchi further told Press TV that as long as the US has not removed all its sanctions and not returned to the JCPOA none of Iran’s nuclear activities, especially in the field of uranium enrichment, will stop or even slow down.
He added, “Our talks continue with Europe, Russia and China. It is not right that they say we talk to Europeans and they, in turn, talk to the US. We are negotiating with the current members of the JCPOA – that is, three European countries plus Russia and China – and the European Union, which coordinates the JCPOA. Then they talk to Americans in their own way and inform them of the result.”
Araqchi said there are signs indicating that Americans are reviewing their stances and moving toward removal of all sanctions, “but negotiations have not reached a conclusion yet.”
“I think we have a longer road ahead of us although our movement is forward and the general atmosphere governing negotiations in a constructive one,” he added.
Asked about the results of Tuesday talks between Iran and other remaining members of the JCPOA on ways to revive the nuclear deal, Araqchi noted that talks on the JCPOA are still far from conclusion but are progressing well.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Araqchi also told Press TV correspondent that Iran and the remaining members of the JCPOA will meet again on Friday to continue their talks.
“Our experts have had intensive discussions in the past two days,” he said. “Today, they continued, and I think tomorrow morning we would be in a position to evaluate what they have done so far and to see how we should continue.”
Araqchi explained that the diplomats will have a two- or three-day break after the Friday meeting, which will be followed by the next round of negotiations.