TEHRAN — Speaking at his weekly press briefing on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that the United States must provide “tangible” guarantees to Iran and the P4+1 when the talks are resumed in Vienna on November 29.

Khatibzadeh also said that the IAEA director general Rafael Grossi arrives in Tehran on Monday night. 

He also welcomed Syria’s possible return to the Arab League.

“Iran-IAEA relations have always tried to be technical within the framework of the Agency's safeguards and procedures, and I hope this trip will be as constructive as previous ones,” the diplomat added. 

He stated, “We have always advised the Agency to stay on the path of technical cooperation and not allow some countries to advance their political orientations and intentions in the name of the Agency. It is natural that we make the necessary decisions in the context of developments based on circumstances.”

Iran's focus is on negotiations to lift sanctions

In response to a question about the existence of a list of issues related to Iran concerning the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the spokesman said that the date of Grossi's visit was announced some time ago and the agenda was determined by Iran and the IAEA. 

Trump is gone, but it seems that the “factory of falsifications and fake news of the United States has not been closed."

“There are issues between Iran and the Agency that we have always tried to resolve within a technical framework, and we asked the Agency to move forward in the same framework, and this trip is in the same direction,” Khatibzadeh noted. 

He added, “No diplomatic trip is made without a clear agenda and it does not matter if the list is long, medium and short. The Agency is well aware that all the sabotage and terrorist acts of the Zionist regime have taken place inside Iran, and unfortunately, with the silence of some countries, it has had a significant impact on some technical aspects. These issues are being pursued between us and the Agency within its framework and level, and will be followed up during this trip as well.”

Khatibzadeh also commented on the statements made by French officials and their accusations against Iran, saying that as the Vienna talks are approaching, some people have made miscalculations and think that with some media claims they can change the place of the culprit and the accused. 

“It is better for all of us to focus on the seriousness of the Vienna talks, and the Western parties know that Iran's focus is on lifting unilateral, extraterritorial and illegal sanctions,” the diplomat noted. 

We have no dialogue except sanctions lifting 

On the approaching Vienna talks, the spokesman said, “Iran's position is quite clear and what will be done in Vienna is to focus on lifting unilateral and oppressive illegal sanctions that has been applied against Iran.”

He then said that if the Persian Gulf countries think that Iran and P4+1 will have a different dialogue, they should hear this position again.
 
Iran's position on both Vienna and the countries of the region is clear, the spokesman added. 

Khatibzadeh added, “As much as we talk to the countries of the region directly and multilaterally in the same region, we also talk to the P4+1 parties about the lifting of the oppressive sanctions.”

We hope that the Western parties will come to the talks in good faith

The Foreign Ministry spokesman also reacted to a question about the speculations about a temporary agreement between Iran and the Western parties, saying that he will not comment on the vague statements and media speculations. 

“What everyone should focus on is the Vienna talks,” he reiterated. 

The diplomat noted that Iran will be present in these negotiations with a serious will to lift the sanctions imposed on the Iranian people with a well-staffed team based on the stated goal. We hope that the other side come to the negotiating table to reach a practical and comprehensive agreement on the lifting of oppressive sanctions against the Iranian people with serious will and good intentions, instead of media speculations.

He added, “If they do not have this serious will or combine it with non-constructive intentions, Iran's response will definitely be commensurate with it.”

On remarks by the U.S officials that all options are on the table, Khatibzadeh responded, “We saw all the options that the U.S. had in a country like Afghanistan and they saw those options themselves. I do not think that those who say these words believe what they say.”

Later Khatibzadeh added that the U.S. officials themselves are announcing that the signature of the U.S. president does not guarantee anything.
“It is natural that both we and the 4+1 need tangible guarantees, and it is better for the American officials who come to Vienna to know that these tangible guarantees must be given," he said. 

JCPOA window will not remain open forever

Regarding a claim that Iran is reaching an irreversible point that make it impossible to revive the JCPOA, Khatibzadeh said that Trump is gone, but it seems that the “factory of falsifications and fake news of the United States has not been closed." 

It would not help a group to stage a show and imagine that they can shape a fake narrative to mislead the international community or create a different psychological aspect by the approaching Vienna talks.

He continued by saying that the United States seems to have forgotten, but it must remember that the world will not forget that it was the United States that withdrew from the JCPOA, and that this is the current administration that, despite sending contradictory messages to Iran, is continuing the same path.

“If the JCPOA does not have specific economic interests for Iran and would not normalize foreign trade, the United States should know that this window will not be open forever, just as parliamentary law on Strategic Action to Lift Sanctions is binding and the government believes in it,” he stressed. 

Regarding a change in Iran's terms in the talks, Khatibzadeh said that what Iran wants is a serious entry to the talks with a serious determination to lift sanctions. He added that it is better to focus on this issue and not base the judgment and answer on the statements that are vaguely published in the media.

Syria cannot be excluded from the Arab League

In response to a question posed by the Tehran Times correspondent about Syria's possible return to the Arab League and Iran's position in this regard, Khatibzadeh said, “Syria is one of the most important and indelible actors in the Arab world, and has been active and present in the framework of regional organizations. Some countries are trying to remove Syria from the union by putting pressure on it.”

He then referred to the path taken by the UAE to restore ties with Syria, saying, “The path taken in recent months has been one in which various countries have come to believe that neither Syria can be eliminated nor that it is in the interest of the Arab world to eliminate Syria as an effective actor in the Arab world.” 

He added that it is natural that Iran and countries like Russia welcome this and consider it a step in the right direction.