Blinken: US preparing "alternatives" if talks with Iran fail
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The US Secretary of State says the US is preparing for "alternatives" with allies in case of failed talks with Iran.
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Blinken says the US is preparing "alternatives" if resolutions with Iran fail
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed on Tuesday that the United States is preparing "alternatives" with its allies in the case that nuclear negotiations with Iran are unsuccessful.
During a visit to Indonesia, Blinken said, "We continue in this hour, on this day, to pursue diplomacy because it remains at this moment the best option, but we are actively engaging with allies and partners on alternatives."
When referring to a recent statement by European countries regarding the Vienna negotiations, Blinken said, "time is running out, that Iran is still not engaged in real negotiations."
The Iran nuclear agreement will become "an empty shell" unless "swift progress" is achieved, Blinken said, referring to the statement.
On his part, Iran's lead negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani, commenting on the statement by the European delegations, said that the blame game continues between the parties to the agreement, stressing that "some actors persist in their blame game habit, instead of real diplomacy."
In the same context, the advisor to the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna, Mohammad Marandi, tweeted, “Iran isn't impressed,” and he called on European negotiators to “get used to the fact that Iran won't accept anything less than full and verifiable implementation of the JCPOA.”
During the 7th round of the Vienna nuclear negotiations, the Iranian delegation to Vienna had five demands, the most pressing of which is the lifting of JCPOA-related sanctions.
Iran has presented two drafts to the Vienna Talks on sanctions removal and Iran's nuclear commitments, with the lead negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani saying that Iran presenting these two drafts bears a testament to its seriousness in the talks.
Adviser in Iran's negotiating team, Seyyed Mohammad Marandi, confirmed that the Europeans have changed their position slightly on the two drafts which the Iranians previously submitted.
In an interview with Al-Mayadeen, Marandi indicated that the change in the European position is a "good sign," revealing that for the Iranians the final paper must recognize Iran's full rights.
