Tehran, IRNA – European Union’s coordinator in the nuclear talks Enrique Mora and Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani have met in Vienna, Austria.
The mutual discussion was held on Friday, while the two sides held talks Thursday morning as well.
The Iranian delegation also held meetings and phone calls with other negotiating teams present in Vienna to review ways to finalize a draft text for a potential agreement.
Top negotiators from Britain, Germany and France left the Austrian city for their capitals for further consultations.
Iranian negotiating team, representative of the European Union as well as delegations from Russia and China are in Vienna along with American team, which are not directly involved in the negotiations, because the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018.
Representatives from Iran and the P4+1 group (Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany) started the eighth round of the Joint Commission meetings of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna on December 27, 2021 in order to discuss revival of the nuclear agreement and removal of anti-Iran sanctions.
During a phone call with Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabadollahian has made it clear that new requests from the US have no rational justification and are in contradiction with the Americans’ claim on pursuing immediate agreement in Vienna; thus, the main issues of the Vienna talks and effective removal of sanctions should not be affected by the United States’ excessive demands.
For his part, Borrell stated that the Vienna talks are in cordial point; so, the US and Iran should show more flexibility in exchanging messages and try to overcome time limit.
The issue of economic assurances is important for Iran and the EU supports it, the European official said, noting that the bloc and Tehran will keep on their efforts to reach an agreement, because a long journey have been gone through, and Iranians are capable and firm negotiators.
The Iranian FM expressed gratitude to efforts made by EU coordinator in the Vienna talks, adding that if all sides take realistic approach, a good agreement can be on horizon.
But the United States’ attempt to put forward new demands is not based on rational justification, which is contrary to Washington’s claim on reaching an instant consensus, Amirabdollahian noted.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA
