The European Union and Iran announced today, Saturday, the resumption of negotiations on the nuclear dossier in the coming days after they were stopped for more than three months during a surprise visit by European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell to Tehran. Statement by Borrell and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at a joint press conference in Tehran after a two-hour meeting between them.
More than a year ago, Iran and the powers still included in the 2015 deal (France, UK, Germany, Russia and China) began talks in Vienna, during which the US, which unilaterally withdrew from the 2018 deal by President Donald Trump participates indirectly.
The currently suspended talks are aimed at bringing Washington back to the deal and lifting the sanctions it imposed on Tehran after it withdrew, in exchange for the latter returning to fulfilling its nuclear obligations, which it abandoned after the American move.
The 2015 agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, allowed the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran in exchange for restricting its activities and ensuring the peaceful nature of its program. However, the Trump administration reintroduced US sanctions after withdrawing from the agreement, which angered Iran.
“The main purpose of my visit is to break the current momentum, that is, the dynamic of escalation” and bring the talks out of the impasse, said Borrell, who was accompanied during the visit by the European Union representative in charge of coordinating the talks on the nuclear dossier. one day visit.
He added: “We will resume discussions on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in the coming days,” stressing: “When I say in the coming days, it means quickly and directly.”
economic benefit
On the other hand, Borrell noted that one of the main obstacles hindering progress in the negotiations is the enmity between Iran and the US, two countries that have severed diplomatic relations since 1980.
“There are decisions to be made in Tehran and Washington, but today we agreed that this visit will be followed by the resumption of negotiations between Iran and the United States, with the assistance of my team, to try to resolve the remaining issues,” he said.
Borrell explained to the Iranian minister the economic benefits that Iran could reap from a revival of the 2015 agreement while the country is suffering from sanctions.
“Our bilateral relations have great potential, but without a JCPOA we will not be able to fully develop them,” he wrote on Twitter.
He also raised the “alarming arrest of European Union citizens in Iran”, referring to many Westerners detained in Iran on espionage or other charges.
For his part, Amir Abdollahyan said: “We had long but positive negotiations at the level of comprehensive cooperation between Iran and the European Union.”
“We have assured Mr. Borrell that we are ready to resume negotiations in the coming days. What is important for the Islamic Republic of Iran is the full economic benefit that it must derive from the 2015 agreement,” he added, referring in particular to the lifting of economic sanctions.
“We will seek to resolve problems and differences through negotiations, which will resume soon,” he added.
Neither Borrell nor the Iranian minister gave a date for the resumption of talks.
can be reversed
Relations between Iran and the international community have long been poisoned by the nuclear issue.
The administration of US President Joe Biden expressed a desire to return to the nuclear agreement, provided that Tehran once again fulfills its conditions, but the latter requires the lifting of sanctions first.
In early June, Iran turned off some International Atomic Energy Agency surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities after the United States and Europeans voted in favor of an IAEA resolution condemning Tehran’s lack of cooperation.
However, it was quick to say that all of these measures could be “lifted” once an agreement was reached in Vienna, the agency’s headquarters.
Iranian political scientist Ahmad Zaydabadi said: “Borrell came to present the final proposals and set a deadline, saying that if the talks did not lead to an agreement, the failure of the talks would be announced in the coming days and weeks.”
“I think there is a great opportunity to reach an agreement” because it is in the interests of various parties, he added.
