Iran will present other options if West delays Vienna deal: MP

Tehran, IRNA – The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to see the conclusion of negotiations on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, but if the Western side refuses to reach an agreement, Iran is not empty-handed and has other options on the table, an Iranian lawmaker said. Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini told IRNA on Sunday that any sort of international agreement without guarantee is worthless, adding that previous experience shows that the Western powers are not reliable when it comes to abiding by their commitments; thus, the Islamic Republic seeks to get required assurances. Any kind of accord that hinders Iran from its concessions will not be accepted by the Iranian nation; so, the Islamic Republic, which is in power position, can act more powerfully in diplomatic field, Abbaszadeh Meshkini argued. Iran’s winning cards in this round of talks in Vienna, Austria, have assisted the Iranian negotiating team to pursue the Islamic country’s national interests powerfully, because there are political unity, intelligent leadership, and success in getting round sanctions, which forced the US to retreat from its position, he added. Describing a win-win agreement as very important for securing Iran’s national interests, the legislator said that the Islamic Republic pursues such a logic in the negotiations; although, Westerners need an agreement more than Iran. We are seeking the conclusion of negotiations fervently, but if the West does not want to reach a deal, we have other options on the table, he said, adding that Iran is not empty-handed in this respect. Asked about resolving safeguards issues as part of the assurances for the removal of the sanctions, he noted that reaching an agreement on safeguards subjects can be a prelude to restoring confidence between Iran and the West, which should provide Tehran with the opportunity to take action when necessary. The member of parliament went on to say that the West and relationship with the Western states are not the only way to progress, while in some occasions the connections with them hamper development. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish