Vienna Talks; Araghchi: Lists of Sanctions and Iranian Measures Must Be Specified

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, said at the end of the first day of the second round of JCPOA Joint Commission talks in Vienna, Austria’s capital, that at this stage of negotiations, it is necessary to specify the list of sanctions that the United States must lift and the measures that Iran must take.

The second round of the Joint Commission meeting of the nuclear agreement known as JCPOA was held on Thursday, April 15, with the presence of representatives from Iran, Russia, China, France, Germany, and Britain.

Later, the senior American negotiator held an informal meeting for the first time with representatives of JCPOA member states (excluding Iran).

Abbas Araghchi told Press TV that if the United States has genuine intentions, good faith, and seriousness, the path is clear—they must lift sanctions. We need a list of sanctions, and our work in this round of negotiations should be to prepare a list of sanctions. Without such a list, we cannot make progress.

The senior Iranian negotiator in Vienna emphasized that simultaneously, we are ready to prepare a similar list of nuclear sites and measures that Iran must take.

Abbas Araghchi also said that with such an agenda, the Joint Commission decided to clarify the tasks of two working groups on lifting sanctions and nuclear issues, which will resume their work this afternoon and prepare two lists of nuclear measures and sanctions to be lifted as soon as possible.

The senior Iranian negotiator regarding the atmosphere of this round of talks emphasized that I cannot say I am optimistic, but I think we are on the right path. Although we had the negative effects of developments in recent days and must manage it in some way.

Abbas Araghchi further added that the list of sanctions should include third parties that have been sanctioned due to cooperation with Iran.

Last week, a new round of the JCPOA Joint Commission meeting to revive the agreement was held in Vienna. However, according to an American diplomat during these talks, no list of sanctions or nuclear measures was exchanged; rather, the parties discussed the “principles” of exchange.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s representative in these negotiations, also said after the end of the JCPOA Joint Commission meeting on Thursday that he evaluates the “general atmosphere” of the first day of these talks as positive.

Senior Western diplomats have also told The Wall Street Journal that they see signs of movement in this round of talks behind closed doors. Now there is a desire to enter into specific issues and details, and Iran has taken a more realistic approach regarding sanctions.

“American Proposal”

Meanwhile, Foreign Policy magazine reported on Thursday that Robert Malley, the US Special Representative for Iran Affairs and the senior American negotiator in Vienna, is drafting a proposed roadmap for reviving the JCPOA and the return of the United States and Iran to their JCPOA commitments.

Sources close to American and European negotiators told the publication that Robert Malley is expected to present Tehran with a proposed package based on which Iran, in return for lifting some sanctions, would return to its JCPOA commitments, but the lifting of sanctions would not be to such an extent as to cause extremist politicians within the United States, including Democrats, to attack the Biden administration.

This round of talks to revive JCPOA in Vienna is being held with the aim of returning the United States and Iran to their commitments within the framework of this agreement.

Although the Biden administration has expressed a desire to return to JCPOA, disagreement remains over how to return to commitments.

Iran says the United States should cancel “1,500 sanctions” from the Donald Trump era, but America has said it is ready to lift sanctions inconsistent with JCPOA.

America is indirectly present in the talks to revive JCPOA in Vienna. In this regard, European diplomats convey the content of these talks to them.

A senior American official last week, criticizing the lack of direct dialogue between American and Iranian representatives in these talks, said that Iran’s unwillingness to engage in direct talks with American officials makes it harder for diplomats, but Washington will not pay a “price” to sit at the table for direct talks with Tehran.

Based on the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers known as JCPOA in 2015, Iran agreed to suspend many of its atomic activities in exchange for the lifting or suspension of international sanctions against it.

Donald Trump, former US President, by withdrawing from JCPOA in April 2018, sought a broader agreement with Iran that could, in addition to amending this agreement, also cover Iran’s regional activities and missile program.

In this regard, the Donald Trump administration applied extensive sanctions against Tehran from 2017 with a “maximum pressure” policy to bring Iran to the negotiating table.

In response, the Islamic Republic of Iran refrained from negotiating with the Trump administration and in reaction to American sanctions, from mid-April 2019, coinciding with the anniversary of the Trump administration’s withdrawal from JCPOA, has deviated from its commitments within the framework of JCPOA in various stages.

Source: Radio Farda