Iranian FM says agreement in Vienna talks within reach if US acts ‘logically’

Tehran: If the United States acts “logically,” an agreement in the Vienna talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal will be within reach, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said.

Amir Abdollahian made the remarks on Thursday in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, calling on the other sides in the Vienna talks to put forward their initiatives to this end, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website.

He said Tehran is willing to reach a “good,” “strong,” and “lasting” agreement while observing the Islamic Republic’s red lines, Xinhua news agency reported.

The senior diplomat also praised Russia for its positive stance and support for the achievement of an agreement that is acceptable to Iran.

Describing ties with Tehran as important, the Russian foreign minister, for his part, stressed that Moscow will continue its support and efforts to make sure that a fair agreement would be reached in Vienna that safeguards Iran’s demands.

In 2015, Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers, including the United States. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the pact in May 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments.

Since April 2021, Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties have held several rounds of talks in Vienna to revive the deal. – IANS