TEHRAN — In an Instagram post on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian outlined the Iranian approach towards the Vienna negotiations in November’s end.

He emphasized that Iran will be entering the talks with a “pragmatic and result-oriented” approach and it is determined to reach a good deal.

According to the top diplomat, this entails “effective and verifiable” removal of sanctions and return of all sides to full compliance with their commitments.
In his post, Amir Abdollahian wrote, 

“After the date for holding the Vienna talks was finally set, it was necessary to once again clarify the views of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the other sides. For this reason, over the past week, during the detailed and separate phone calls with the foreign ministers of the five signatories to the nuclear deal, JCPOA, (China, Russia, Britain, Germany and France), I placed emphasis on several points including: The Islamic Republic of Iran is entering the talks with a pragmatic and result-oriented approach and it is determined to reach a good deal, but this necessitates effective and verifiable removal of sanctions and return of all sides to full compliance with their commitments.”

The chief diplomat also pointed out that the U.S. actions and violations including its imposition of fresh bans on Iran made it “inalienably necessary” that Washington give tangible guarantees. 

“In light of this, my deputy Dr. Ali Bagheri has held candid, transparent and useful talks in European capitals,” he added. 

Amir Abdollahian noted that Iran does not intend to remain stuck in the stalemate of previous talks, as it already has access to the negotiation records. 

“I believe if the other sides come to Vienna with a serious and positive view, it is possible to reach a good deal in a short time,” he emphasized. 

Amir Abdollahian added that as he has reiterated time and again, the government of Iran will “diligently” pursue the policy of developing balanced ties with other countries based on “mutual respect and common interests” and it is resolved to avoid linking the expansion of bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation to the JCPOA.

Amir Abdollahian held phone talks with all his counterparts on the P4+1 countries last week. He spoke with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, the UK, China, and Russia.

In all these conversations, the JCPOA was the main focus. 

In his conversation with the French foreign minister, Amir Abdollahian recalled the United States’ responsibility for the current situation of the JCPOA as well as the role that the three European countries’ silence has played in Washington’s excessive demands.

“Iran wants a good agreement, but it has requirements, including the other sides fully complying with their commitments and the effective lifting of sanctions,” said the top Iranian diplomat.

He referred to the United States’ recent sanctions against Iran, saying the move is yet another reason why Iran keeps distrusting the U.S.

In his phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Amir Abdollahian voiced hope the U.S. and the European signatories to the nuclear deal will enter the Vienna talks realistically so that an agreement is reached swiftly. He added that the U.S. cannot push ahead with its failed maximum pressure policy and economic terrorism and at the same time claim it wants talks and an agreement.

Iran’s top negotiator said on November 10 that there will be no nuclear negotiations at the Vienna talks later this month and the talks would only focus on the implications of the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the major world powers.

Ali Bagheri Kani, Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs, made the remarks in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) news agency on Wednesday while on a tour of European countries. Bagheri Kani visited France on November 9 on the first leg of his tour, which included visits to other European signatories to the nuclear deal.

He also stated that he had “detailed”, “frank”, “serious”, “constructive” and “forward-looking” talks with the political director general of the French Foreign Ministry, according to Fars News.

Regarding the remarks made by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian that the talks should pick up where they left on June 20, the deputy foreign minister said, “We do not have nuclear talks, because the nuclear issue was fully agreed in 2015 in the form of an agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1.”

The Iranian diplomat noted, “The main issue we are facing now is the consequences of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, which are limited to the illegal sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran.”