2 yıl önce

Iran presses on crude exports as Vienna talks resume

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran wants negotiations to focus on removing economic sanctions and selling Iranian oil easily.

AP

Iran insists that its nuclear program is peaceful but its significant nuclear steps have alarmed regional rivals and world powers.

Iran has insisted that the United States and its allies promise to allow Tehran to export its crude as negotiations on restoring the tattered nuclear deal were to resume in Vienna.

The remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdolahian on Monday signal that Iran is pressing its position ahead of the negotiations over reviving the landmark 2015 nuclear deal.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Amirabdolahian said Iran wants the upcoming round of talks to focus on achieving the “point where Iranian oil is being sold easily and without any barriers and its money arrives in Iran’s bank accounts.”

As the parties to the 2015 atomic deal prepared to convene in Vienna, Amirabdolahian said Iran wanted to “be able to enjoy full economic concessions under the nuclear deal.”

“Guarantee and verification (of the removal of sanctions) are among topics that we have focused on,” he said.

The new administration of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has repeatedly demanded the removal of all economic sanctions before Iran reins in its nuclear advances.

Enriching uranium

Iran has steadily abandoned all of the accord's limits since the American withdrawal and is now enriching uranium to 60 percent purity – a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels. It spins ever-more advanced centrifuges also barred by the deal.

The country insists that its nuclear program is peaceful. But its significant nuclear steps have alarmed regional rivals and world powers.

Diplomats have warned that time is running out to restore the deal as Iran maintains a hard line in putting the onus on the US to lift sanctions.

The talks involve all the parties to the original nuclear deal – Iran, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

Iran refuses to talk directly to the American envoy, who is engaging through the other signatories.

Tehran's landmark accord with world powers granted the nation sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

But in 2018, then-President Donald Trump withdrew America from the deal and imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, including against its oil sector – the lifeline of its economy.

Iran's crude exports plummeted and international oil companies scrapped deals with Tehran, weakening its economy.

SOURCE: AP