Iranian FM Slams US Inaction towards Vienna Talks
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that his country is ready for a strong and long-lasting agreement in Vienna talks but is faced with Washington's inaction.
The US shows no action vis-a-vis Vienna talks, Amir Abdollahian said in a meeting with his Finnish counterpart Pekka Olavi Haavisto on Sunday.
He stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran is quite serious in reaching a good, strong and sustainable agreement in Vienna.
During their phone conversation, the two officials discussed the latest status of bilateral ties, regional developments, and particularly the Ukraine-Russia war.
Amir Abdollahian underlined Iran’s anti-war stand, and invited both Moscow and Kiev to end war.
He also referred to a recent visit by Finland’s foreign minister to Tehran and the agreements concluded during that visit, announcing Iran's readiness for evermore expansion of cooperation with Finland.
Amir Abdollahian also voiced Iran's support for continuation of ceasefire in Yemen and the need for a full end to the inhumane siege of that country, as well as resolving the Yemen crisis through Yemeni-Yemeni talks.
Haavisto, for his part, commemorated the 90th anniversary of establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, and described Iran-Finland relations important for both countries.
He also expressed the hope that the Vienna negotiations would soon lead to a satisfactory agreement for all sides.
Earlier this month, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said that an agreement in Vienna talks on the removal of sanctions against Tehran is within reach if the US shows willingness to revive undertakings.
Shamkhani wrote on his Twitter page that the several rounds of negotiations held in the Austrian capital of Vienna over the past year have failed to bring the US back into compliance with the nuclear deal.
“The Vienna talks have reached a stage where the knot can only be untied through the adherence of the violator party to Iran's logical and principled approaches,” he said.
“The US, by breach of promise, and Europe, by inaction, scuttled the opportunity to benefit from Iran's proven goodwill. If they have the will to return, we are ready and an agreement is within reach,” Skamkhani added.
The US administration, under former President Donald Trump, unilaterally left the nuclear deal in May 2018 and launched a maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic, despite the latter’s full adherence to its commitments under the deal.
Since April 2021, several rounds of talks between Iran and the five remaining parties to the JCPOA -- Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia -- have been held in the Austrian capital to bring the US back into the Iran deal. The Vienna talks, however, exclude American diplomats due to their country’s withdrawal from the deal.
Talks have been on hold since March as the US insists on its refusal to undo past wrongs, including removal of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) from its foreign terrorist organization list.
Throughout the negotiations in Vienna, Iranian negotiators have been insisting on getting firm guarantees for a proper implementation of the nuclear agreement.