USA: Continuation of Vienna Talks Depends on Iran’s Decision

The U.S. State Department spokesperson says his country has no intention of announcing a deadline regarding the resumption of Vienna talks, and the decision in this regard should be made in Tehran. Russia’s representative also considers the start of talks unlikely within the next ten days.

Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, announced America’s readiness to begin the seventh round of indirect nuclear talks with Iran in Vienna.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, July 2 (U.S. time), while emphasizing America’s unwillingness to announce a deadline for resuming Vienna talks, he said “only Tehran can decide on the timing of resuming negotiations.”

The JCPOA revival talks, which began three months ago following the Biden administration taking office, have reached agreements in six previous rounds, with the final outcome being linked to political decisions in Tehran and Washington. Mohammad Javad Zarif, in his latest report to Iran’s parliament on the JCPOA negotiation process, implicitly stressed the government’s maximalist demands as obstacles to reaching an agreement in Vienna.

In this report, he wrote: “A maximalist approach only leads to protracted and endless negotiations.”

In a letter attached to the Foreign Ministry report, Zarif said that reaching an agreement on the nuclear dispute “requires courage, sacrifice, and willingness to pay the price of credibility.”

Last Wednesday, Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, speaking about the Vienna negotiations process and lifting sanctions, said: “The issue of sanctions is in our own hands, although part of it is in others’ hands, but the main [factor] is us. We can decide this week to finish it, or it can continue for months, which is a different matter.”

The U.S. State Department spokesperson continued his conversation with journalists, stating that immediately after setting a date for continuing negotiations, Robert Malley, the U.S. special representative for Iran affairs, would be ready to return to Vienna. He added: “The U.S. government still believes that diplomacy is the most effective way to achieve the goals we are pursuing [regarding Iran].”

Meanwhile, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, said that the seventh round of Vienna talks will not begin before another 10 days.

In response to a question about the timing of resuming Vienna talks, he said: “To date, no one, including the Iranians, has an answer to this question.”

Ulyanov described Iran’s delay as understandable, since according to him this country has recently held presidential elections and forming a new negotiating team takes time.

Emphasizing the need to accelerate the resumption of talks, he said he does not think “talks will begin before another 10 days.”

Source: DW