Tehran rules out ‘negotiations for negotiations’

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian highlighted that Tehran will not accept negotiations for the negotiation’s sake.

News ID: 83754

Date: 03 September 2021 - 02:36

Answering a call from Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg on Thursday, Amir-Abdollahian said that the Islamic Republic welcomes the principle of negotiations but will not accept negotiations for negotiations.

Iran has performed its major share for maintaining the nuclear deal with implementing “strategic patience” in the face of US’ withdrawal and European countries’ lack of action, said the Iranian minister, adding, “Now it is time for other JCPOA signatories to do their part and implement their commitments in a practical manner.”

Talks for reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have been halted in the Austrian capital of Vienna due to a change of administration in Iran. Tehran says all the sanctions imposed by the US after JCPOA withdrawal should be lifted and after verification, Iran will reverse its remedial measures.

Pointing to a recent regional conference in Baghdad, Amir-Abdollahian said that it was a “good platform” for intra-regional cooperation. Iraq, he continued, has been targeted with interventionist measures of some countries including the US as was seen in the assassination of Marty Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani who was the hero of the fight against terrorism.

For his part, Schallenberg congratulated Amir-Abdollahian over his confirmation as the Iranian Foreign Minister.

Expressing Vienna’s readiness to enhance cooperation with Tehran, the minister said Austria will donate 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Iran in the next two weeks.

Voicing appreciation over Tehran’s help in transferring Austrian citizens from Afghanistan, Schallenberg also pointed to the need to resume talks about the JCPOA in Vienna.