Iran refutes Borrell claims of a ready nuclear text
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EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says nuclear talks are to be suspended, citing external factors.
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Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh
Days after Russia's new demands, the EU announced on Friday that the talks it is chairing on the renewal of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal must be suspended.
"A pause in #ViennaTalks is needed, due to external factors," the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted, adding that "a final text is essentially ready and on the table".
A pause in #ViennaTalks is needed, due to external factors.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 11, 2022
A final text is essentially ready and on the table.
As coordinator, I will, with my team, continue to be in touch with all #JCPOA participants and the U.S. to overcome the current situation and to close the agreement.
No final deal reached
There is no final text for the Iranian nuclear deal as Borrell claimed, informed Iranian sources told Tasnim News Agency.
The sources also told the Iranian agency there were still two or three issues that still needed to be resolved.
"There is no deal until the Americans and the Europeans make political decisions on these issues," the sources further told Tasnim.
The main issues, according to the sources, are related to sanctions on individuals and entities that play an important role in Iran benefitting from any deal.
Since the beginning of the negotiations, the sources explained, Iran called for removing these individuals and entities off the red list, and the US has long used different ways to postpone the removal, evade it, or link it to issues unrelated to the nuclear deal.
When it comes to official statements and stances in the public and negotiations, the West and the US have been informed that there would be no new nuclear agreement without the removal of these sanctions.
"The United States knows it needs the deal more than any other party to the accord in the Vienna talks. This obstruction and psychological warfare will be more harmful to them."
The current round of talks between the UK, China, France, Germany, Iran, and Russia began in late November, with the US participating indirectly.
Read more: Exclusive: no concessions for West for it to violate deal again
Their goal was to resurrect the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which had begun to crumble when former US President Donald Trump pulled out in 2018.
Last week, Russia said it wanted assurances that the economic sanctions imposed by the West in response to the military operation in Ukraine would not damage its commerce with Iran.
Moscow was expected to play a role in the implementation of any new deal, as it did with the previous JCPOA in 2015, by receiving shipments of enriched uranium from Iran, for example.
On Friday, Borrell stated that he will "continue to remain in contact with all #JCPOA participants and the United States to overcome the current problem and finish the deal."
Spokesperson sees pause in Vienna Talks as momentum for final return
Responding to Borrel's statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson said the break in the Vienna discussions on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal might give momentum for resolving lingering concerns and bringing the negotiations to a close.
“Pause in Vienna Talks could be a momentum for resolving any remaining issue and a final return,” Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a post on his Twitter account on Friday, following reports that the JCPOA negotiations in Vienna have been brought to a temporary halt.
“Successful conclusion of talks will be the main focus of all,” the Iranian Spokesperson added.
However, "no external factor will affect our joint will to go forward for a collective agreement,” Khatibzadeh underlined.
