Exclusive: Qatar may host indirect talks between Washington and Iran
A media advisor to the Iranian nuclear team reveals that Qatar may host indirect talks between Iran and the United States of America regarding reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement.
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Seyed Mohammad Marandi
According to Seyed Mohammad Marandi on Monday, Qatar will host indirect talks between Iran and the United States regarding reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Speaking with Al Mayadeen, Marandi stated that Qatar is one of the options offered to host indirect negotiations between Iran and the US.
During EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell's visit to Iran, Tehran and Brussels are discussing the location for the coming JCPOA talks.
According to reports, Borrell had stated that Vienna would not host the next talks.
"Talks between Iran, the United States, and European Union will not take place in Vienna because talks will not happen in US+P4+1 format," Borrell said.
He explained that the negotiations will be held in the coming days and that they will be similar to the indirect negotiations between Iran and the US in Vienna.
Marandi stressed that there is no need for members of the P4+1 group to be present during the indirect negotiations because the issues related to the rest of the parties are resolved in advance. Insead, he stressed that the negotiations will be focused on the issues that are still pending between Iran and the US, and upon reaching an understanding about them, the parties will meet in Vienna to sign an agreement.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh stated that in recent weeks, EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell made genuine efforts to restart discussions and offered to visit Tehran after Iran appreciated Europe's facilitating role.
Read more: Lapid to Borrell: Tehran visit 'strategic mistake'
He acknowledged that there were agreements on the substance, form, and topic, and said that the most significant issue in the negotiations was that the US commits to implementing the JCPOA and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, as well as ensuring Iran's economic advantage from the JCPOA.
He stated that the following round of discussions would be indirect and would address lingering sanctions concerns but not nuclear ones, stressing that nothing would be added to the Vienna agreement or withdrawn from it.
The ball is in the US court, he added, adding that if they respond, there would be a settlement.
He emphasized that all of Iran's previous actions are reversible if the other side fulfills its pledges and that nothing is agreed upon until everything is agreed upon.
