USA: Vienna Talks Were Positive but Long Road Ahead

The US State Department spokesperson viewed the negotiations between the P4+1 countries with Iran as positive but emphasized that the road ahead is longer than the path already traveled. Saudi Arabia also called on Iran to continue negotiations and avoid creating tension in the region.

Ned Price, spokesman for the US State Department, on Tuesday, April 31 (April 20), following the conclusion of talks between the P4+1 countries and Iran in Vienna, viewed these negotiations as positive but stressed that “a long road lies ahead”.

Price said that Robert Malley, US Special Envoy for Iran Affairs, has identified specific steps that Iran and the United States must take to return to the JCPOA agreement. He stated: “At this stage, we have a longer path ahead of us than what we have traveled so far.”

The JCPOA joint commission meeting in Vienna ended on Tuesday evening, and the participating delegations returned to their countries. The heads of negotiating delegations discussed draft texts and how to continue the talks.

Europe’s Conditional Optimism

A European official, following the conclusion of these negotiations, told Reuters that progress has been made to save the 2015 agreement but more work is needed. According to him, negotiations by representatives of Germany, Britain, France, China, and Russia with Iran will continue next week after representatives of these countries consult with their respective country officials.

Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary General of the European Union’s External Action Service, also wrote on Twitter following the conclusion of these negotiations: “Negotiations have made progress over the past two weeks, but much difficult work remains ahead.”

Saudi Arabia’s Message to Iran

The Saudi Arabian cabinet, following the conclusion of Vienna talks, called on Iran in a statement to continue negotiations, avoid tension, and not endanger regional stability and security.

In this statement, which was released by Saudi Arabia’s official news agency (SPA), it was emphasized that the international community needs a “stronger and longer-term agreement employing control and monitoring mechanisms” to prevent Iran from “accessing nuclear weapons and other capabilities needed to produce nuclear weapons.”

Source: DW