Khatibzadeh: Iran-US exchange of views in Vienna is "written but informal"

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman says that the exchange of views between Iran and the United States during the JCPOA revival talks in Vienna will take place in a "specific way" and "in written but informal form."

According to Iranian media reports on Monday, January 3, Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said during a press conference in response to reporters' questions: "There is a specific path for exchanging views between Iran and the United States, and the specific path is in writing," so that, according to him, "there are no misunderstandings."

Khatibzadeh emphasized: "No verbal or written messages have been exchanged between Iran and the United States."

He also responded to a question about Russia's negotiations with the United States on behalf of Iran, noting that "some" are creating a margin and think they are "conveying the correct impression," and said that there is a "trilateral mechanism" between Iran, China, and Russia.

On Sunday, Noornews, a media outlet close to the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, implicitly confirmed the accuracy of reports that Russia and China had persuaded Iran to abandon maximum demands in the negotiations.

The Islamic Republic News Agency also wrote that Iran is negotiating in Vienna "with engagement and flexibility."

Foreign Policy magazine wrote in a report on the 8th of December, quoting Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's chief negotiator in the Vienna talks, that China and Russia have convinced Iran to back down from some of its more extreme positions - including [Iran's] insistence that the talks focus only on sanctions and not on the nuclear issue.

The United States, emphasizing "diplomacy" as the best option for dealing with Iran's nuclear program, says that a lack of goodwill and seriousness on the part of Iran will cause Washington to resort to "other options."

The eighth round of negotiations between Iran and world powers to revive the JCPOA resumed on Monday, January 29, and will continue next Monday after a short break for the New Year holidays.

Source: Voice of America