TEHRAN (Iran News) – Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says it is still possible for parties to the 2015 Iran deal to reach an agreement if the American side proves capable of making a realistic decision.
Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a Thursday address to the World Economic Forum in the Swiss city of Davos.
“Now, we have reached a point [during the negotiations in the Austrian capital city of Vienna] that if the American side makes a realistic decision, an agreement would be within reach,” Iran’s top diplomat said.
“Zionists tell many lies about Iran’s nuclear issue, but Americans exactly know what they must do if they want to return to the JCPOA,” Amir-Abdollahian said while referring to the deal under its official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We have announced time and again that the atomic bomb has no place in our foreign policy doctrine and [religious] beliefs…. The [International Atomic Energy] Agency has also announced many times that Iran does not seek the nuclear weapon,” Iran’s foreign minister said.
“Zionists do not want an agreement [to be reached] in the Vienna talks,” Amir-Abdollahian emphasized.
“U.S. blacklisting of IRGC only a secondary issue, nation’s interests top priority”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Amir-Abdollahian rejected reports that the main snag that has stalled the Vienna talks is the issue of U.S. blacklisting of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
“There are more important issues involved here. When we talk about [Tehran’s] return to the JCPOA, it means resumption of normal economic and trade activities of Iran within the context of international economy and global trade. This is important to us and we have informed the American side of this issue time and again… We say out loud that the main factor [that has stalled the negotiations] is that Iran and the people of Iran must avail themselves of full economic advantages of the JCPOA.”
“In fact, the IRGC being on the US blacklist of terrorist groups is a secondary issue that has been magnified by the pro-Israeli lobby and our main priority is the interests of the Iranian nation,” Iran’s foreign minister said.
Amir-Abdollahian noted, “We have a lot of information, which [shows that] Zionists are taking U.S. foreign policy hostage.
“Be sure that Iran has numerous options on the table, but the most important issue is that factors related to [former U.S. President Donald] Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ [policy against Iran] must be done away with,” Iran’s top diplomat added.
Amir-Abdollahian also talked about Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement talks, saying Iran has always kept the doors ajar so that Riyadh could resume normal ties with Iran whenever they wanted.
He said that Iran and Saudi Arabia have recently had good progress and have even agreed to hold a meeting at foreign ministry officials or foreign minister level in a third country.
On the war in Yemen, the foreign minister said that all Yemeni sides should have their share in the future of the country, adding that the ceasefire should endure and the blockade should be removed.
Meanwhile Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud says there has been “some but not enough” progress in talks with Iran, and that Riyadh’s hands remain outstretched to Tehran.
“We have made some progress but not enough. Our hands are stretched out,” Prince Faisal told a World Economic Forum panel on Tuesday.
“We continue to encourage our neighbors in Iran to lean into what can be a very, very important sea change in our region,” he said.
The top Saudi diplomat said a “new era of cooperation” could deliver benefits for all.
