Still no response from US on Vienna draft: FM Spox

Tehran, IRNA – Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that the United States has not yet responded to the Europeans' suggestions on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal. Addressing reporters at his weekly press conference, Kanaani said that the Vienna talks are still containing, so it would be better to avoid mentioning details and the next phase, which has not yet taken place. In the latest round of talks in Vienna, the coordinator of the European Union made suggestions to other parties, including Iran, and the Islamic Republic responded to the proposal in due time based on its constructive and accountable approach, the spokesman noted. So far, we have not received any response to the European suggestions from the other side, specifically the US, he said, adding that we would be able to speak about the fruitfulness of this round of talks whenever the European side announces that they have received the Americans' response, but this has not occurred yet. He also urged correspondents to ignore unofficial narratives because the negotiations are very sensitive, so any comment and judgment on the Vienna talks should happen on the basis of the official viewpoints of negotiating countries. We have had relatively good progress, but the talks are held to agree on all related issues; thus, until a consensus is not achieved, we cannot say that we have reached any agreement, Kanaani said. Iran participated in several rounds of talks and answered the Europeans' suggestions, but the US is still hesitating to respond to the draft on the resumption of implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he said, noting that Tehran has been always on-time and accountable in this respect. We believe that the US administration is responsible for the current situation concerning the implementation of the JCPOA; however, if Washington shows political will and seriousness in practice, we can move forward to reach the next stage, the Iranian official argued. As to the Iranian authorities' stance towards the nuclear deal, he noted that Iran's officials have time and again underscored that they would not tie the country's economy and people's livelihood to the nuclear negotiations and that they saw the talks as a foreign policy issue. However, the US's hesitation in replying to the suggestions on the revival of the JCPOA and Europeans' inaction in complying with the deal will not hinder Iran from following up on its priorities, he said. So, the Islamic Republic is seeking a good, powerful, and long-lasting agreement, which guarantees Iranians' interests and assures that the other sides will abide by their commitments under the nuclear accord, he emphasized. Despite the fact that Tehran waits for the other parties' response on the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions, the Islamic Republic will pursue expansion of ties with neighboring states and other nations, especially in economic and trade interactions, the spokesman added. On Saudi Arabia-Iran negotiations, he said that Tehran's relationship with Riyadh is based on mutual issues and does not have anything to do with the negotiations for lifting anti-Iran sanctions, adding that holding talks to resume official ties would be beneficial for both countries. Referring to steps made by both Saudi Arabia and Iran to resolve problems, he expressed optimism in moving forward in this regard, noting that the situation in the region is pleasant and the relationships with neighboring states are improving. Elsewhere in his remarks, Kanaani pointed to the fact that the Islamic Republic has been the biggest victim of terrorism and that the fight against terrorism has been very costly for the country. He further said that the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, known in Iran as the 28 Mordad coup is another document of the United States' illegal intervention in Iran's internal affairs. The official also referred to the decline of tensions in northern Syria, noting that fortunately, regional and non-regional states are showing a realistic approach toward developments in the war-stricken country after about nine years of conflicts that erupted as a result of the intervention of foreign states in internal affairs of the Arab nation. But the Syrian government's policy of resisting and resorting to wisdom helped the country get rid of tensions, he said, adding that new conditions are being formed in the Arab country because the government has been successful in fighting terrorist groups powerfully and enhancing security and territorial integrity. The spokesman further pointed out the issue of the swap of prisoners with the US, noting that the issue has been pursued based on humanitarian principles and that the topic has not been tied to the JCPOA negotiations. The prisoner swap has been followed up in indirect talks with the American side, he said, adding that the US does not pay attention to humanitarian and moral principles. On water diplomacy, he said that the Islamic Republic gives importance to the issue, so Iran has held talks with regional states and collaborates with other nations to emphasize the importance of mutual contracts and legal agreements. Less than one month ago, a meeting was held in Tehran, where ministers and high-ranking officials from more than 11 countries took part, indicating Iran's efforts to prioritize water and environmental issues, Kanaani said. As to Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahin's visit to Africa, the spokesman stated that the Islamic Republic has always attached importance to the continent and the Raisi's administration sees the expansion of relationships with African nations as a special issue. Iran has discussed a boost of economic and trade ties with African states, he said, adding that Amirabdollahian's trips to Mali, Tanzania, and then Zanzibar are in line with the administration's plan to boost relationships with Africa. Africa-Iran trade volume more than doubled in the last year, he said, noting that the trade figures show that bilateral exchanges improved from 600 million dollars per year to more than 1.3 billion dollars. The Iranian embassies in African countries have started more efforts to expand cooperation in different arenas, including economic, trade, and political fields, Kanaani noted. He also pointed to current developments in Iraq, noting that the Islamic Republic enjoys very close and constructive ties with the government in Baghdad and that Tehran has good ties with all political parties and tribes in the neighboring states. The spokesman urged the US to pursue the nuclear negotiations based on American interests saying that the Zionist regime has always had a destructive role in regional and international issues and issues regarding Iran. Warning about the Zionist regime's regional and international interventions, he noted that the role of the regime in international developments has been destructive, so we do not have any other expectations from it. The FM spokesman ruled out rumors about Iran's stance related to taking revenge for Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani's assassination, saying that the Iranian nation and government will not forget the issue and that Iran is determined to bring the assassins to justice, so there is not any relationship between the revenge and the talks for lifting anti-Iran sanctions. On the Venezuelan-Iranian plane in Argentina and the cases of Iranian citizens such as Nouri and Assadi in Europe, he explained that these are the current cases that are being pursued at political and legal levels because the fate of 5 Iranians in Argentina is of importance; however, the plane belongs to Venezuela. He also urged Belgium and Sweden to comply with their international commitments and release Nouri and Assadi without any condition. Pointing to the dispatching of ambassadors from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he mentioned that Iran sees its relationships with regional countries independent from the JCPOA and the Vienna talks. Asked about diplomatic ties between Turkey and the Zionist regime, the Iranian official underlined that the diplomatic apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran does not speak about the foreign policy of other countries, adding that Tehran's stance on the regime is obvious. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish