Borrell: No Ministerial-Level Meeting with Iran in New York

According to France’s Foreign Minister, the opportunity of the UN General Assembly should be used for meetings between European foreign ministers and Iran. However, Borrell says such a meeting will not take place, and instead calls for an early return to Vienna negotiations.

Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, has stated that foreign ministers from Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia have no scheduled meetings with Iran’s Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Previously, France’s Foreign Minister had suggested such a meeting might take place. Diplomats were planning a ministerial-level meeting between Iran and participating countries in the JCPOA on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, September 22, but Borrell stated: “[These meetings] happen some years, they don’t happen other years. But the important point is not a ministerial meeting, but rather the will of all parties to return to Vienna negotiations.”

He also said that today, Tuesday (September 21), he will meet with Iran’s new Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and is encouraging him to return to Vienna negotiations as soon as possible.

Vienna negotiations between Iran and France, Britain, Germany, Russia, and China, with indirect US participation, were held over six rounds and stalled in June without results. The goal of these negotiations is to bring Iran and the United States back to the JCPOA agreement.

According to Josep Borrell, following the presidential elections in Iran and the assumption of office by Ebrahim Raisi, he requested that Vienna negotiations be delayed somewhat so that “everything regarding this sensitive file” could be reviewed more thoroughly.

Borrell continued: “Summer is over now and we expect the talks to resume in Vienna as soon as possible.”

Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Foreign Minister, said on Monday that Vienna negotiations should resume as soon as possible. He added: “We must use this week’s opportunity to restart the talks. Iran must also be ready to return to negotiations as quickly as possible and introduce its representatives for these talks.”

Iran’s representative to the United Nations did not respond to Reuters’ question on this matter.

Source: DW