Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian lashed out at the US for violating the nuclear deal, saying that his country is in favor of only those negotiations that ensure the rights and interests of the Iranian people.
Amir Abdollahian made the remarks, addressing a meeting with foreign ambassadors and diplomatic missions in Tehran on Monday, during which he explained about various aspects of the new Iranian administration’s foreign policy.
Elaborating on the Iranian administration’s position on the Vienna talks, which have been going on for a few months in the Austrian capital to revive the JCPOA following US withdrawal from the accord, Iran’s foreign minister said, “The 13th [Iranian] administration believes in diplomacy as an effective tool and we will never distance from negotiations,” he added.
“We have a positive approach to negotiations as an opportunity to diplomacy, but believe that negotiations for the sake of negotiations will have no benefit for the Iranian nation and other involved parties,” Amir Abdollahian said.
“The Americans inflicted the worst harm on the JCPOA and not only are they accused [in this regard], but they are also the main culprit in violating the JCPOA,” he added.
He emphasized that Iran welcomes any negotiations that guarantee the rights and interests of the Iranian nation, saying, “We believe in wise and solid negotiations that secure rights of the nation and will actively take measures towards that goal.”
Iran believes that fruitless negotiations that only waste time would not be beneficial to the people, the top diplomat added.
He urged the European troika – France, Germany and Britain who are signatories to the nuclear deal – to take action with respect to the JCPOA implementation, saying that the three states were, too, responsible for the US refusal to lift sanctions against Iran and allow the nation to reap the deal’s benefits.
Amir Abdollahian noted that this issue has been conveyed to the president and foreign minister of France during his recent visit to Iraq and to his other counterparts in the European troika.
“The European troika has the opportunity to review and change its approach to show its firm determination in its interaction with Iran,” he said.
“At the same time, we welcome [cooperation with] other European countries and are ready to pursue active and dynamic relations with them within the framework of a balanced foreign policy. We will pay attention to all continents and parts of the world in such a relationship," the Iranian foreign minister pointed out.