Talks gets tough as the negotiation goes on to revive Iran nuclear deal

After briefing the law makers and other officials about the recent nuclear deal talks in Vienna, the Iranian team of negotiators which was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi returned to Austrian capital with a clear path in his mind on how to proceed the “very difficult” tasks.

Amid his stay in Tehran, Araghchi attended a session of Iranian Parliament’s national security and foreign law makers to brief them about the outcome of Vienna talks.

Araghchi while giving an outline of the talks, he said that the U.S. sanctions on Iran can be divided into two categories. Imposed on the economic activities and entities is one, and the other on the Iranian individuals.

“There is a better understanding as to the (lifting of) economic sanctions,” Araghchi noted. But sanctions on the individuals are yet to be resolved. There are more than 1,500 cases under sanctions on individuals, negotiations for which will resume in the next meeting, which is expected on Tuesday, April 27.

Until now, Iran and the P4+1 (France, Russia, China, and UK plus Germany) have established at least two rounds of talks, about reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, commonly known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The talks are being held as per the guidelines of the JCPOA Joint Commission, with three European signatories – France, Germany, and the UK – acting as the intermediaries between the U.S. and Iranian diplomats.

Diplomats from Iran and from P4+1 along with the U.S. will resume the talks on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.

Before heading to Vienna, Araghchi said that he cannot decide whether the talks are pessimistic or optimistic. “Our positions are very clear and firm. The sanctions must be lifted, verified and then Iran must return to its commitments. We stood up in this regard and the representatives were given full explanation,” Araghchi stated.

“Today we had the opportunity to talk about the nuclear talks between Iran and P4+1 countries. Of course, the Americans are in Vienna, and we have no dialogue with the United States. But we had a very good talks on the implementation of the JCPOA, and hope that the U.S. administration, with a sensible policy and fulfillment of its commitments, will able to return to JCPOA more quickly and all sides fulfill their commitments. We are ready to return and fulfill our commitments in full as soon as the U.S. commitments are met and verified,” stated Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, during his visit to Iraq.

Araghchi stated that the next meeting which will be on Tuesday, will be tough as the challenges to be negotiated are difficult. Despite his statement in the past that Iran and P4+1 countries are on the path to successful end, the negotiator didn’t seem much sure about how this will proceed.

On the other side, the United States are yet to take the first step to rectify the mistake by the Trump’s administration to withdraw from the JCPOA.

Following the recent rounds of talks in Vienna, a senior U.S. dept. official stated that Washington will not accepts Iran’s demand for U.S. to act first to revive the JCPOA.

Iran has made it clear that it will not accept anything less than all the additional sanctions which were imposed by former president, Donald Trump, to be lifted. Iran in the past had stated that it was willing to accept the deal that was with former president, Barack Obama.

Araghchi made it clear that Iran was in no rush but do they feel that the talks are resulting in nothing but waste of time, they might not continue it.