TEHRAN— In an interview with an Austrian political and economic magazine named Diplomacy and Commerce, Abbas Bagharpour Ardakani, the Iranian ambassador to Vienna, answered various questions surrounding Iran’s foreign policy.

In the interview published on Monday, the diplomat noted that Iran is a country with massive natural resources, gifted with a rich and historical culture and civilization coupled with amazing tourist attractions and an educated population. 

“For many years, Iran was Austria's second trading partner outside of Europe, and Austria was among Iran's top five trading partners. Current bilateral relations are multifaceted. Considering the copious capacities of both countries in many areas, it is not an obstacle to expand bilateral relations,” he outlined. 

Trump's shameful legacy of inhumane sanctions continuing in current U.S. administration

Regarding the negotiations to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Austrian reporter stated that the Vienna talks have been in a precarious situation since March, and after the recent events the prospect of reaching a new agreement is more doubtful than before. In response, the Iranian envoy replied, “This round of negotiations began when the U.S. government realized that their previous policy of withdrawing from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018 was a failed strategic and political mistake, and hence, they announced their desire to return to the JCPOA. As Trump's maximum pressure campaign failed to achieve its stated goals, Mr. Biden quickly and publicly opposed it and promised to make changes. Despite this, it is a pity that Trump's shameful legacy of inhumane sanctions against the people of our country is still continuing in the current American government.”

The bitter reality is that Iran has not benefited from the economic concessions of the JCPOA for more than 4 years, and some governments, including European countries, did not adhere to their commitments, the diplomat outlined

“It is more unfortunate that they have closed their eyes to the illegal and inhumane sanctions of the United States, which amount to economic terrorism against the Iranian people,” the ambassador added. 

He then went on to highlight that after the withdrawal of the United States from the agreement, which was a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Iran continued to fully adhere to the JCPOA for more than a year. 

“Even the current opportunity to discuss returning to the agreement is because Iran acted responsibly and farsightedly. During the Vienna negotiations we showed maximum flexibility, and even with the aim of breaking the deadlock we offered innovative solutions to resolve the remaining issues. During the intensive consultations that we had last week with the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, in Tehran, we agreed to negotiate through the European Union, with the aim of overcoming the last obstacles in the negotiations, indirectly with the United States. We will be in touch with the European Union coordinator as before to hold the next stage of negotiations,” Ardakani predicted. 

Iran's ambassador in Austria noted that as soon as the other parties fulfill all their obligations in a complete, effective and verifiable manner, Iran will reverse its nuclear moves. 

“However, the sufferings of the Iranian people, which were the result of the failure of other parties to fulfill their obligations, cannot be compensated. Patients, especially those with rare diseases, have suffered a lot from the inhuman sanctions that include medical and pharmaceutical supplies. How can the suffering and pain (imposed on) these innocent patients be restored? This injustice will not be erased from the memory of the Iranian people,” he stated. 

Ball is now in U.S court 

Ardakani went to say that if all parties fulfill their obligations, Tehran will also be ready to fulfill its obligations fully.

“Iran has made its political decision. Currently, the main obstacle is the lack of political decision-making on the part of the United States. This fact has been acknowledged by many other people. The ball is now in the U.S. court, and Washington should worry about missing the opportunity,” the diplomat stressed. 

22% of IAEA inspections were from Iran

Elsewhere in the interview, the diplomat faced a question regarding the Iran-IAEA conflict. In response, Ardakani underscored that according to the report on the implementation of Safeguards in 2021, 22% of the total inspections carried out by the Agency worldwide in that year were related to Iran, while Iran possesses only 3% of the total equipment covered by the Agency worldwide.

“Iran's full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency has enabled this organization to maintain its knowledge and understanding of Iran's facilities through the strongest verification, monitoring and transparency processes applied to a country,” he highlighted. 

The envoy added despite this unprecedented and active cooperation with the IAEA, the UN body’s response was neither appropriate nor constructive. 

“Iran was surprised by the Agency's latest report, because we answered all the Agency's questions fully and cooperatively. This whole issue is based on baseless claims and misinformation provided by the most notorious regime in the region, which is not even a member of the NPT and is doing everything in its power to destroy the JCPOA,” Ardakani underlined. 

IAEA resolution was political

According to Iran's ambassador to Austria, despite Tehran's constructive cooperation with the IAEA, the United States and three European countries (France, UK, and Germany) pressed for the adoption of a censure resolution in the recent meeting of the Board of Governors. 

“We believe that the Agency's resolution is political and will have negative effects on the current negotiation process, and the consequences of this issue will fall on the shoulders of the founders of the resolution. The passing of this resolution proves the claim that the pressure and political ambitions of some countries have overshadowed the technical aspect of the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Ardakani stated. 

On June 13, former Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi meets “with the wrong people,” referring to Grossi’s trip to the occupied Palestine. 

Khatibzadeh also said, “Such actions undermine and invalidate the achievements of international organizations.” 

In this regard, Ambassador Ardakani said that the Israeli regime is taking cruel, expansionist and criminal actions in the region. 

“This regime continues to attack and kill innocent people, including women and children, in occupied Palestine. Recently, Ms. Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian journalist, was brutally martyred. In fact, the reputation of this regime is due to its crimes, apartheid policies, war crimes, crimes against humanity, the use of force against regional countries and beyond these, due to its sinister and dark history in developing, producing and stockpiling various types of inhumane weapons, including mass murder,” the diplomat underlined. 

This regime is trying to hide its destabilizing, malicious and terrorist activities in the region, he added. 

These activities include covert operations, acts of sabotage against Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, as well as despicable assassinations of innocent Iranian citizens and Iranian nuclear scientists in order to further their evil intentions in the region, he elaborated. 

“It is unfortunate that the Western governments have remained silent regarding the Israeli regime's nuclear arsenals, as well as its frequent terrorist and subversive activities. This silence has encouraged the Israeli regime to continue its crimes without facing any punishment,” Ardakani lamented. 

‘Grossi’s visit to Tel Aviv was political’

Ambassador Ardakani stated that in such predicaments and while the Israeli regime has more than 250 nuclear warheads and is not a member of any of the disarmament and arms control treaties, including the NPT, it refuses to put its nuclear facilities and activities under the Safeguards agreement. 

“The Agency ignores these facts. You see that right on the eve of the meeting of the Board of Governors, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency officially visits Israel. This visit cannot be considered neutral and non-political in any way. As the sole international nuclear regulatory body, the IAEA and its director general are expected to act professionally, impartially and independently,” he stated.