2 yıl önce

Iran: 'Firmly determined' to salvage nuclear deal in Vienna talks

The landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, which fell apart in 2018 following US withdrawal, offered a lifting of some of the array of economic sanctions Iran had been under in return for strict curbs on its nuclear programme.

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The last Vienna talks were paused in June after the election of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi.

Iran has said it is firmly determined to reach an agreement with major powers on salvaging its 2015 nuclear deal.

"The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in Vienna with a firm determination to reach an agreement and is looking forward to fruitful talks," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters on Monday.

"The government has shown its willingness and seriousness by sending a quality team known to all. If the other side shows the same willingness, we will be on the right track to reach an agreement," he added.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri is leading the Iranian delegation in the talks beginning from Monday. Talks are attended by Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, while the United States is set to participate indirectly.

Khatibzadeh signalled Iran's longtime distrust of the United States.

"We are looking for practical verification of the implementation of American commitments under the nuclear agreement," he said, adding that was one of their "main focuses in continuing the talks."

Unfinished talks

Iran has in recent months restricted the activities of inspectors from UN watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Its head Rafael Grossi visited Tehran last week, but said on his return that "no progress" had been made on the issues he raised.

When asked about the visit Khatibzadeh said, "Good talks took place at different levels. These talks remained unfinished because we did not reach agreement on some words and concepts that are important to both sides, but the terms of the agreement were almost finalised."

He added that the Iranian delegation would have meetings with the Vienna-based IAEA in coming days "regarding the finalisation of the text" and that "relations between the two sides will continue at different levels".

The Iranian spokesperson also criticised Britain after its Foreign Secretary Liz Truss pledged in a newspaper article co-written with Israel's Yair Lapid to work "night and day" to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.

"You will find that at least some European countries are not coming to Vienna with the necessary will to lift sanctions," Khatibzadeh said.

"This shows that not only are some of these countries not serious, but they want to prolong the talks and delay the lifting of sanctions."