TEHRAN- In the midst of efforts to get the U.S. back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian asserts Iran is "extremely serious" about the remaining issues concerning the safeguards agreement.

Amir Abdollahian talked on the most recent developments regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the official name of the 2015 nuclear agreement, and the sanction-removal negotiations in Vienna on Thursday.

Talking at a gathering of Iranian nationals in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam, Amir Abdollahian stated that “the Iranian administration is following two paths at the same time, making efforts to render the sanctions ineffective and bring about economic prosperity and development to the country without focusing merely on the JCPOA.”

“The reason as to why this policy was initially adopted is because assuming that our agreement reaches a final point in a few days or a few weeks, the secondary sanctions will be removed but the primary sanctions will remain in place within the framework of the JCPOA,” he underlined. 

The top Iranian diplomat emphasized the Raisi administration's resolve to continue sustainable economic development plans in efforts to neutralize the sanctions, adding the nuclear talks have “progressed to the point where we have received a response from the American side to our written proposals through the European Union's coordinator.”

Amir Abdollahian went on to voice that “we received the American side's response yesterday (Thursday); we are currently examining and evaluating the response. Tehran is extremely serious about the remaining safeguards issues and we are in no way ready to leave unattended certain political and unfounded charges made by the Zionist regime.”

In an effort to lift the primary sanctions it is necessary that all parties return to the agreement and lift the sanctions, the chief diplomat suggested.

The Iranian foreign minister added, "If the American side is serious in its commitments and if we reach the desired point in the agreement, we can reach the final stage of the negotiations."

Amir Abdollahian emphasized that Iran's red lines would only be respected when the JCPOA parties meet and the Vienna talks come to an end. 

The talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal began in April 2021 after U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is willing to rejoin the multilateral agreement.

‘Iran in no hurry’

"As long as we are not confident whether our red lines are honored and the interests of the Iranian nation are guaranteed, we will make no rush on this issue," he remarked. 

Amir Abdollahian began the second phase of his three-nation Africa tour by arriving in Tanzania early on Thursday. The senior diplomat just returned from Mali and is now headed to Zanzibar.

Amir Abdollahian left for his regional tour of Africa on Monday and declared that the Islamic Republic takes seriously its desire to strengthen connections with all parts of the world.