“One cannot predict a specific deadline [for the talks], but we will not let the negotiations become attritional,” Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday, echoing earlier remarks by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, after attending a meeting of the Parliament’s Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy on the ongoing talks that began early this month in the Austrian capital.

“At the same time, we are not in a rush, because there are serious issues being discussed during the talks, which need to be carefully examined,” said Araqchi, who also serves as Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs.

Iran and the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are currently involved in ongoing discussions to save the deal. The JCPOA has survived almost three years of unilateral US sanctions on Iran, which in turn prompted Tehran to reduce its own commitments in a legal move under the accord.

The US, which withdrew from the deal in 2018, is also in talks with the JCPOA participants, except for Iran. The talks have so far failed to lead to concrete results as the US insists on pushing its own narrative with regard to several issues – including which sanctions need to be removed – into the talks.

The US is also pressing for a step-for-step removal of the sanctions, which has been rejected categorically by Tehran.

Araqchi: Step-for-step plan discarded a long time ago

Elsewhere in his remarks, Araqchi underlined that a step-for-step plan for the removal of US sanctions on Iran has been discarded a long time ago, saying that Iran rejected the proposal long before the talks began.

“The step-for-step plan is not a matter of discussion at all in the current talks… Tehran’s position is completely clear,” Araqchi said, adding that the US sanctions must be removed first, followed by Iran’s verification of the sanctions removal, and only then, Iran will return to its nuclear commitments under the JCPOA.

“We have insisted on this issue and the representatives [of other parties to the JCPOA] were fully briefed in this regard,” the senior diplomat said.

Iran’s top negotiator said, “There are challenges ahead of the talks. Of course, we are now on a path, which can bear fruit, but it is early to say whether we would be able to overcome all challenges and hurdles. Therefore, I cannot say that we are optimistic or pessimistic, but we are not desperate and stick to our duty.”

An informed source also told Press TV on Saturday that Iran’s policy with regard to the sanctions has not changed, meaning that the country rejects a step-for-step removal of the bans.

“Iran, as it has repeatedly emphasized, does not accept any plan based on the notion of a step-for-step [sanctions removal] and has no such thing on the agenda,” the source, who is close to the Iranian negotiating team, told Press TV on Saturday.

The remarks came after US State Department Ned Price said the administration of President Joe Biden’s proposals on the issue are based on the principle of compliance for compliance.

However, the informed source told Press TV that Iran would stop its “remedial actions” only after it can verify that all the sanctions have been removed.

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His comments came on the same day that the parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action are set to hold a new round of talks on Washington’s removal of anti-Iran sanctions and Tehran’s reversal of its remedial measures.

Asked whether the negotiators have reached a consensus regarding the drafting issue and whether Iran is hopeful about a swift sanctions removal, he replied, “Technically, it is possible to lift all the sanctions that violate the JCPOA and fully revive the agreement in the short term. We hope to achieve the desired outcome through constructive negotiations.”

“Contrary to some claims, the US administration can return, in a short time, to the JCPOA obligations, which it has violated, and we can quickly verify (the process) and… will swiftly return to our commitments,” Rabiee added, Press TV reported.

On the latest status of the Vienna talks, he quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as saying that Iran is not interested in revitalizing the JCPOA through a step-by-step plan and follows the policy stated by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in this regard.

“The JCPOA strengthened national self-confidence and belief in domestic capability to reclaim the rights of the people. It highlighted the fact that it is possible to reclaim rights from the international community and reserve the right to engage in peaceful nuclear activities,” he concluded.

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According To Iran News,Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi described recent talks between Tehran and Tokyo as “heavy and intensive” and said the consultations will continue.

In remarks on Saturday, Araqchi said pointed to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s recent trip to Japan and said the two countries marked the 90th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

He further said the Iranian president and the Japanese prime minister met three times this year in Tehran, New York, and Tokyo.

“Very heavy and intensive talks were held last night, and bilateral, regional and international issues, as well as issues related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and US sanctions, were discussed,” Araqchi said.

The two countries agreed to continue the consultations, the Iranian deputy foreign minister went on to say.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, President Rouhani paid a visit to the Japanese capital to hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other senior officials of the country on issues of mutual interest.

The visit came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US with Washington imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump has been trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.

Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans.

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According To Iran News, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi and his Kuwaiti counterpart, Khaled al-Jarallah, exchanged views about a range of issues, including Tehran’s regional peace initiative known as the Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE).

During the meeting held in Kuwait on Thursday, Araqchi highlighted Iran’s firm determination to cement ties with regional countries.

He also said the HOPE initiative provides a good framework for the regional countries to consolidate peace and stability and to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The Iranian diplomat went on to say that regional countries’ constructive approach to the HOPE is a step toward easing regional tensions.

Araqchi also reiterated Iran’s readiness to cooperate with regional countries to find a practical mechanism for implementing the plan.

The Kuwaiti official, for his part, welcomed the continuation of consultations between Iran and Kuwait and described negotiations as the only way possible to resolve regional crises.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani presented the HOPE initiative while delivering a speech at the UN General Assembly 2019 and invited all regional countries to participate in it.

“The initiative is based on the fact that all regional countries are duty-bound to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region. Together with the international community, they have common interests in maintaining freedom of navigation and energy transfer,” Zarif said about the initiative at a UN Security Council meeting on September 25.

These regional efforts are necessary to prevent war, conflict, violence, extremism, terrorism and sectarian tensions, Zarif said at the time, adding that Tehran’s proposal was aimed at enhancing solidarity, mutual understanding as well as peaceful and friendly relations between countries in the region in order to guarantee the territorial integrity and political independence of regional states.

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