Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, who is leading the Iranian negotiating team in the Vienna talks, were instructed by outgoing President Hassan Rouhani to brief President-elect Ebrahim Raisi on the latest developments of the Vienna talks aimed at reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Mahmoud Vaezi, the Iranian president’s chief of staff, said the JCPOA is an important issue and that’s why Rouhani instructed his diplomats to brief the incoming government.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet session on Wednesday, Vaezi said, “As regards the JCPOA, which is an important issue, the president ordered Araqchi, along with the foreign minister, to meet with Mr. Raisi as soon as he arrives in Tehran, and to announce the progress and restrictions. The meeting lasted an hour and a half and everything was announced.”

Vaezi also said that the Iranian president has instructed all cabinet members to consult with Raisi’s transition team if they are making decisions that affect the next government.

Araqchi has recently returned to Iran from Vienna after concluding the sixth round of the JCPOA talks. Diplomats from Iran and other parties to the Iran nuclear pact held a meeting on Sunday noon to conclude the sixth round of talks that have been underway since April to revive the nuclear deal. Araqchi issued a statement about the holding of the meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission. He said at the end of the sixth round of the Vienna talks, a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission chaired by Enrique Mora, the EU Deputy High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, was held.

The top Iranian nuclear negotiator also hailed the progress made during the last round of talks in remarks to Iranian state TV.

“Our progress in this round has been relatively good, because a large number of texts are ready now, and the amount that is not ready has at least one very clear situation, and it shows a picture of the differences and what stage (the differences) are in, and this helps decision makers make the right decision. We have come a long way so far and we are nearing the end, but the rest of the way, as I said before, will not be an easy one,” he said, adding, “I hope and I think that if the other parties can make their own decisions, God willing, we will be able to reach an agreement that we want. Our positions have not changed since the beginning of the talks, and we want all U.S. sanctions to be lifted, as well as their verification and then Iran will return to its commitments under the JCPOA.”

Vaezi also confirmed that significant progress was made during the talks. He said the negotiating parties agreed to lift all insurance, oil, and shipping sanctions. According to Vaezi, about 1,040 Trump-era sanctions will be lifted under the agreement. He also said that the parties agreed to lift some sanctions on individuals and the Leader’s Office.

Vaezi underlined the need to brief Raisi on these developments. To that end, Rouhani has held a meeting with Raisi.

“Today, the president-elect came to visit Hojatoleslam President Hassan Rouhani by attending the Pasture,” the presidential communications office said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Alireza Mo’azi, director of the communications office, said the transition period is being done in a “professional, civil and ethical” manner.

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The sides have reached “a clear text” about all issues and what remains needs “political decision” from all sides, Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters at his weekly press briefing.

Iran and the 4+1 group (China, Russia, Britain, France plus Germany) have been holding talks in Vienna, Austria, since about three months ago to reach agreement on removal of anti-Iran sanctions and possible return of the U.S. to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from which Washington withdrew unilaterally in May 2018.

The U.S. is participating in the talks indirectly as Iran has refused talks with the U.S. until Washington rejoins the JCPOA and lift sanctions in a verifiable manner.

If this political decision is taken, the next talks can be the last round, the spokesman said.

Touching upon the June 18 presidential election in Iran, the spokesman said so far 48 presidents, parliament speakers and senior figures have extended congratulations to the president-elect, Ebrahim Raisi, during the past 48 hours.

Participation of people in the election in and out of the country carried positive messages, Khatibzadeh underlined.

With near 18 million votes out of about 29 million, Raisi won the 13th presidential election in Iran.

Asked whether agreement on a revival of the JCPOA has been postponed to tenure of next government, the spokesman said such reports and speculations are far from reality.

Iran does not intend to delay the possibility of lifting the sanctions, Khatibzadeh noted.

And it is Supreme Leader’s policy which is being continued by the negotiating team, he added.

Asked if there is possibility of reaching agreement in Vienna during President Rouhani’s tenure, the spokesman said diplomats are optimistic about the issue; however, it is too soon to judge as the political decisions to be taken by all sides are of paramount importance.

“The nuclear text has no ambiguities”

About the recent remarks made by U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the spokesman said talks will never be held on a new JCPOA.

Iran will not be satisfied with anything more or less than the JCPOA, he stressed.

Turning to the issue of Afghanistan, Khatibzadeh said that Iran follows developments in Afghanistan with concern.

He went on to say that Tehran invites all Afghan sides to reduce tension, remain committed to intra-Afghan peace talks, and respect rights of minorities.

About the new government’s policy on the JCPOA, he said all will see that Iran’s principled policies will continue during Raisi’s presidency.

the Zionist regime’s media outlets have launched smear campaign against the president-elect.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the Zionist media have nothing to do but damage the face of presidents elected by the Iranian nation.

“Raisi is the voice of the reason of the system” 

The spokesman said Raisi has served in different important posts. For example, he said, Raisi was a member of the Supreme National Security for some years.
“He is the wise of voice of the establishment,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman remarked.

“Zarif and Raisi meet for 90 minutes” 

Khatibzadeh also said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had a meeting with President-elect Raisi for 90 minutes on Monday morning during which good talks took place about the JCPOA and foreign policy. The spokesman said the meeting was request by Raisi.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman also confirmed that is quite correct that Iran is seeking “guarantees” that the U.S will not quit the JCPOA again. However, he said the details cannot be discussed openly.

Iran has repeatedly said that it would immediately return to its commitments based on the JCPOA as soon as the U.S. did so.

About Iran’s readiness to send an ambassador to Riyadh, the spokesman expressed hope that talks would reach tangible outcome for establishment of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

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In remarks to Italian newspaper Repubblica, Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), called on the diplomats involved in the Vienna nuclear talks to wait until a new government in Iran is formed. The Vienna talks are mainly seeking to revive a 2015 nuclear deal formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Everyone knows that at this point, it is necessary to wait for the formation of a new government in Iran,” Grossi said in response to a question on the point to which the Vienna talks reached.

Grossi also pointed to the complications of the Vienna talks and said the revival of the JCPOA requires the political will of all parties. The director-general’s remarks raised eyebrows in Tehran as the IAEA chief is not in a position to make political remarks regarding the Vienna talks. Grossi’s predecessor, Yukiya Amano, always emphasized that the IAEA is not a member of the JCPOA and has only the task of verifying the fulfillment of Iran’s nuclear obligations.

However, Grossi has made bizarre statements in favor of the United States, saying that the Vienna talks that have been going on in recent weeks have faced very complex and technical issues. He claimed that reaching an agreement on the revival of the JCPOA required the political will of all parties.

Grossi’s remarks also ran counter to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s stated position that what is happening in Vienna has nothing to do with Iran’s elections and internal developments.

The first official response to Grossi came from Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, who is leading the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna. Araqchi said Grossi has no clue about the political atmosphere in Iran.

“Mr. Grossi probably has no knowledge of political dynamism in Iran. Nuclear negotiations are a major foreign policy issue, and decisions are made at the highest levels of the system,” the Iranian diplomat said in an interview with Al Jazeera. “Reaching an agreement depends on meeting the key demands and resolving the fundamental concerns of the Islamic Republic, and whenever we reach such a point, an agreement will be reached, whether in this government or in the next government. Of course, I must say that we are now closer to an agreement than ever before, and I personally very much hope that an agreement will be reached in this government.”

He added, “Of course, the issues that are discussed at the negotiating tables should be addressed at the same desk, not in the media. However, I can generally say that the main problem with the negotiations is the approach of the Americans, who are unable to give up their excessive addiction to sanctions and still cannot understand that sanctions are a failed solution. As I said in one of my recent tweets, Trump is gone, but his illegal and criminal sanctions are still in place. As a matter of fact, the new U.S. administration has not yet stopped Trump’s policy of maximum pressure and thinks that what Trump could not achieve with maximum threats and sanctions, they can achieve at the negotiating table. The negotiations that are currently underway are facing very complex and delicate technical issues, but what is needed to reach an agreement is the political will of all parties.”

Araqchi also pointed to the probable election of Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, underlining that Raisi appeared realistic and pragmatic on foreign policy issues.

There were some speculations that the Vienna talks could stop if Raisi won the presidential election. Raisi himself sought to allay these fears during the presidential debates, voicing support for the JCPOA and engagement with the international community.

Responding to a question on the election of Raisi, Araqchi noted, “Mr. Raisi’s positions in the field of foreign policy, as expressed during the election campaign, reflect a realistic and interactive policy based on cooperation with the international community and constructive economic interaction. His positions on the JCPOA and the ongoing negotiations also reflect the same realism and pragmatism in foreign policy. I am sure that if he is elected, there will be no disruption in the negotiation process.”

The top Iranian nuclear negotiator underlined, “At the same time, I must say that it is the calculation of national interests that determines the success or failure of the negotiations. We are looking for the interests of the Iranian people and I am sure that whoever is elected president will pursue the same goal. In these negotiations, we count the interests of the country and the people, not the number of votes of the candidates. The policies set by the country’s top authorities will determine the instructions of the Iranian negotiating team, and we will only move in that direction.”

Grossi’s remarks appeared to have required a meeting between Iran and the IAEA. Araqchi met with the IAEA chief on Friday while millions of Iranians flocked to polling stations to cast their votes. During the meeting, Araqchi and Grossi discussed the JCPOA negotiations and the role of the UN nuclear watchdog, according to Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s envoy to the IAEA.

“Deputy Minister Araqchi and @rafaelmgrossi discussed today the latest developments around the JCPOA negotiations and possible assistance of the @iaeaorg in this process. They also reviewed mutual interactions and cooperation between Iran and the IAEA,” Gharibabadi said on Twitter.

While Araqchi had said Iran moves forward with the Vienna talks in accordance with its interests, Grossi implied that the talks may be delayed until after the Iranian election. This is while Grossi is not a party to the talks and Iran has said that the talks should not be subject to internal considerations.

Before heading to Vienna for another round of talks, Araqchi had stressed that Iran is looking for a good agreement and it will neither be in a rush nor will it waste time to reach such an agreement.

“We are looking for a good agreement for the Islamic Republic of Iran and we are not in a hurry or wasting time on this path. The sooner we get there, the better, of course. It is important that in this agreement the principles that Iran wants are observed and the indicators that we want to reach are included,” he said.

Besides, the main obstacle to reaching an agreement has not been the Iranian election. Instead, it was the U.S.’s refusal to make clear commitments that it will not back down on its word again, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Zarif also noted that the U.S. tries to exact more concessions from Iran at the negotiating table. He underlined that the U.S. cannot achieve at the negotiating table what it failed to through economic warfare. “I saw the latest edited text of the agreement. The text has become purer and purer. Parentheses are being removed. The main obstacle that remains is the issue of understanding these cases. The United States must come to terms with the fact that it was the parties who deliberately left the agreement, but their goal was not achieved. Now that they want to return to the agreement, they cannot achieve through the negotiating table a goal that was not achieved through economic warfare,” Zarif said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.

The Iranian foreign minister also pointed out that the main obstacle in Vienna is how to verify U.S. adherence to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“The question that remains is how we can verify the fulfillment of U.S. commitments. The party that needs to reassure us is the United States, and that is an obstacle to the negotiations, and we are working on that right now,” he continued.

Zarif added, “The Biden administration has come to realize that the Trump administration’s policies have failed, but it is still trying to use it as leverage, and that is why there is a perceptual problem. America must know that it is completely isolated. I do not trust Biden. In diplomacy, no one trusts others. No one trusts another in diplomacy. In diplomacy, you have to verify. You need to build trust and be predictable.”

Zarif pointed to Iran’s ability to reverse the remedial measures it taken in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018.

“If we go back to JCPOA, we must live up to our commitment to 3.67% enrichment, and if that does not happen soon, we have no restrictions on enrichment. Even now we can increase enrichment but we do not need it,” Zarif stated.

Iran has recently started 60% uranium enrichment at its Natanz nuclear enrichment plant as part of a calibrated policy designed to gradually reduce the country’s compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA nearly three years ago. The decision to increase the level of uranium enrichment was part of a broader strategy to reactivate Iran’s nuclear program, which has been under severe restrictions since the signing of the JCPOA in 2015.

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Speaking to Tasnim on Saturday, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mojtaba Zonnouri said the latest round of Vienna talks to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action has not led to any new development, but has turned into talks of attrition.

He warned the Western parties that if they fail to honor their JCPOA commitments by the deadline of May 24, Iran will carry out the ‘Strategic Action’ on lifting the sanctions and safeguarding national interests, ratified by the Parliament in October 2020.

Should the JCPOA talks fail to yield results by May 24, Iran will definitely cease the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Zonnouri stated.

He also noted that while Iran is now recording information offline at its nuclear sites, a lack of breakthrough in the Vienna negotiations would mean that the International Atomic Energy Agency will have no access to the information, the cameras will be turned off, and the data will be deleted.

A joint statement released by the IAEA following its director general’s February visit to Tehran declared that Iran will stop its voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol and will deny IAEA inspectors access to its nuclear facilities beyond the Safeguards Agreement as of February 23, 2021 for three months.

In a statement on Sunday, 226 Iranian lawmakers insisted that the ‘Strategic Action’ on lifting the sanctions and safeguarding national interests, ratified in October 2020, should be carried out according to the deadline of February 23, because the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal have failed to honor their commitments.

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