Amirabdollahian: Two Issues Including Economic Guarantees Remain in Nuclear Negotiations

Iran’s Foreign Minister said that we had four red lines in the negotiations, two of which have been resolved and two others including economic guarantees remain. He said that if the United States agrees to these two issues, we will reach an agreement.

Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran’s Foreign Minister, addressed nuclear negotiations that are approaching their conclusion, speaking to journalists at the margins of Nowruz ceremonies.

According to ILNA news agency, Amirabdollahian said: “We had four issues as our red lines. Of these four issues, two have been resolved, but two issues including economic guarantees remain.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister emphasized that he is still in contact with Enrique Mora, the JCPOA Joint Commission coordinator, and continues to exchange messages with the American side through him.

Amirabdollahian said: “Whenever we get closer to a point of agreement on these two red lines, our team and Bagheri will be present in Vienna. If the other side is prepared, we are ready to reach an agreement at the first opportunity with the presence of ministers in Vienna. This matter depends on the American side and whether the readiness expressed by the American side and Biden is genuine or not.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister added: “If the American side fulfills these two demands today, we will reach an agreement tomorrow.”

Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran’s Foreign Minister, left for Moscow yesterday, Tuesday, March 15 (Esfand 24), and met with Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister.

Following this meeting, Lavrov said in a joint press conference that Moscow has received a written assurance from the United States that new sanctions against Russia will not prevent cooperation within the framework of Iran’s nuclear agreement.

Previously, Kremlin officials had stated that they would condition the resumption of the JCPOA on the United States providing assurances that Russian transactions with Iran would not be subject to the latest American sanctions against Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had repeatedly stated that JCPOA negotiations are unrelated to the Ukraine dispute.

Following Lavrov’s remarks, a senior U.S. State Department official who wished to remain anonymous told Reuters that the United States continues to cooperate with Russia in reviving the JCPOA.

The American official added that Moscow can now understand that sanctions imposed on Russia due to its aggression against Ukraine will not affect the implementation of the JCPOA.

The senior U.S. State Department official stated that Washington will not sanction Russia’s participation in nuclear projects that are part of the JCPOA agreement, provided that the JCPOA is fully implemented.

He emphasized that Washington cannot provide Russia with guarantees beyond this.

American officials said they will not allow Moscow to circumvent recent U.S. sanctions against Russia through the JCPOA.

Source: DW