Khatibzadeh's response to US warning about Tehran's intransigence: We will not wait forever for an agreement

Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, on Tuesday, March 1, in response to the US State Department spokesman's statement that the United States would withdraw from these negotiations if Tehran did not comply, called it "arrogance and bluffing" and said that Iran is ready for an agreement, but will not wait forever.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price has warned Iranian officials that Washington may withdraw from the talks if Tehran shows intransigence.

Mr. Price added that if “Iran is unwilling to engage in good faith,” the United States and its allies and partners will pursue other “alternatives.”

The Fars news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards, also claimed, without providing details, that France was "sabotaging" the Vienna talks, writing: "France could be the cause of the lack of agreement in Vienna."

This comes as Iran's top negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, who went to Tehran last week to consult with Islamic Republic officials, has returned to Vienna.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has clearly stated that it wants an end to sanctions and guarantees for them, and it will not back down from its "red lines."

The spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran's Foreign Ministry emphasized on Monday that the Supreme National Security Council is leading the negotiations and has given "the necessary instructions" to Iran's chief negotiator in Vienna.

On Thursday, Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that the final stage of negotiations to revive the JCPOA in Vienna would not be concluded "without a political decision by the West on the remaining issues that are necessary to balance the agreement."

Talks to revive the JCPOA have been ongoing in Vienna for 10 months, with the participation of representatives from Iran, France, Britain, Germany, Russia, China, and the European Union, as well as the indirect presence of US representatives.

The ultimate goal of these negotiations is to return to the July 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" between Iran and world powers.

Source: Voice of America