Returning to nuclear talks now 'difficult': German envoy - Exclusive

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen Net
7 Mar 2023 19:11

Germany's envoy to the IAEA says returning to the nuclear talks is difficult at the current stage, but the Iranian FM says Iran will never leave the negotiating table.

Diplomats waiting for the start of a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria April 6, 2021 (EU Delegation in Vienna)

Germany's Ambassador to the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Goetz Schmidt-Bremme, considered that returning to the Vienna negotiations with Iran is "difficult" in the time being.

"Returning to the Vienna negotiations with Iran is difficult at the current stage," Schmidt-Bremme told Al Mayadeen.

The German official claimed that "last summer, there was a draft agreement ready and approved by all parties, including China and Russia, but Iran decided at the last minute to re-discuss and open new files."

He called on Iran to "be more inclined toward the international community, and to send serious signals, especially with information about 84% enrichment of uranium."

This comes as on Monday, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Al Mayadeen that the implementation of the understanding between Iran and the agency may lead to the resumption of nuclear talks.

Grossi welcomed Iran's high-level assurances that it is ready to carry out further appropriate verification and monitoring activities and to cooperate with the agency to resolve outstanding safeguards issues, including those related to the three allegedly undeclared sites where the IAEA found traces of uranium particles.

Iran will never leave the negotiating table: Iranian FM

In the same context, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian underlined that Iran is steadfast in the path of diplomacy and negotiation, reiterating that Tehran will never retreat from its redlines.

Amir-Abdollahian stressed that his country is committed to political independence but pointed out that "at the same time, we follow up our foreign relations with the East and West of the world, and we are there wherever there are benefits for the dear nation of Iran."

"While maintaining the national interests of the country, we continue our efforts to conclude the negotiations that we have been engaged in for months," the top Iranian diplomat said.

He continued, "Reaching an agreement in line with the national interests of the country is one of the inherent duties that we pursue today in the diplomatic system."

Amir-Abdollahian noted that Iran had informed the United States and the Western parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that it attaches great importance to respecting the red lines, securing national interests, and reaching an agreement in which all parties show their adherence.

"We will never leave the negotiating table," the Iranian Foreign Minister underlined, noting that even when Iran was facing riots, it did not back down from its redlines.