Khatibzadeh: Iran will not wait forever
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stresses the need to ensure that the United States does not withdraw from the nuclear agreement, once again.
-
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh has warned on Monday the US administration against "bluffs and bluster" in the Vienna talks to resurrect the 2015 Iran deal, emphasizing that Tehran is willing to reach an agreement through negotiations but will not wait indefinitely.
Khatibzadeh made the remark in a tweet early Tuesday after US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the US was prepared to pull out of the Vienna talks if Iran demonstrated “an intransigence to making progress."
Parties have been negotiating in Vienna since last year with indirect US participation because the White House is no longer a signatory to the nuclear deal. Meanwhile, the US has sent a delegation to the Austrian capital to monitor the proceedings.
Furthermore, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson emphasized that because the United States was the party that withdrew from the landmark agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Tehran needed to ensure that it did not happen again.
“US has already "walked away" from JCPOA. We must make sure it won't happen again. Everyone has their own plan B, though the US' has proven hollow. Blusters & bluffs have/will not work. Decisions do,” Khatibzadeh tweeted.
“A deal is at hand if WH makes its mind. Iran is willing, but will not wait forever.”
US has already "walked away" from JCPOA. We must make sure it won't happen again.
— Saeed Khatibzadeh | سعید خطیبزاده (@SKhatibzadeh) February 28, 2022
Everyone has its own plan B, though US' has proven hollow. Blusters & bluffs have/will not work. Decisions do.
A deal is at hand, if WH makes its mind. Iran is willing, but will not wait forever.
Read More: A JCPOA revival in 2022?
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Monday, Khatibzadeh stated that more than 98 percent of a draft agreement on the revival of the JCPOA in the Vienna talks has been prepared jointly, noting that the remaining outstanding issues are critical to ensuring Iran's economic benefits.
He further stated that the outstanding issues include the removal of sanctions against Iran, the provision of guarantees to Tehran, and the resolution of political claims about Iran's peaceful nuclear activities.
The Western parties and the US have yet to make decisions on three issues, according to Khatibzadeh, who noted that the West has been clearly informed about Iran's red lines.
Read more: Reframing Vienna: What about Iran’s side of the story?
The Iranian diplomat blamed the US for the current situation, emphasizing that Washington's possible return to the JCPOA must be accompanied by a lifting of sanctions in a verifiable manner.
The Vienna talks between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties began in April on the assumption that the US, under the Joe Biden administration, is willing to reverse the so-called maximum pressure policy pursued by former President Donald Trump against Tehran.
Iran has stated that it will not accept anything less than the complete removal of all US sanctions in a verifiable manner. It also wants assurances that Washington will not withdraw from the agreement again.
