TEHRAN –Iranian officials have held talks with a number of foreign officials to discuss the situation around the Vienna talks. 

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, who leads the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna, and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg have met in the Austrian capital. 

During the meeting, Bagheri and Schallenberg held talks and exchanged views over ties between Iran and Austria and also the latest developments surrounding the Vienna talks.

Iran FM, EU foreign policy chief exchange views on Vienna talks

European Union foreign policy chief and lead coordinator of the Vienna talks Josep Borrell and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian have discussed the latest status of the talks in Vienna.

Borrell appreciated the efforts of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other delegations during the Vienna talks, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.

Borrell referred to the great efforts of all parties during the negotiations, noting that the Vienna talks have reached a critical stage and all parties need to help advance the negotiations through flexibility and by taking into account each other's capabilities and limitations.

In the telephone conversation, Amir Abdollahian also thanked EU foreign policy chief and the JCPOA coordinator as well as lead EU negotiator and coordinator for the Vienna negotiations Enrique Mora for their efforts. The Iranian foreign minister said some hasty moves, repeatedly playing with the text, and a lack of serious will on the part of the West to reach a good and credible agreement in Vienna have led to unnecessary prolongation of the talks.

Referring to the serious efforts of Iranian chief negotiator Bagheri Kani and the presentation of realistic initiatives by the Iranian team, Amir Abdollahian stressed that it is necessary to include the legitimate rights and demands of the Islamic Republic of Iran in any proposal.

Amir Abdollahian and the EU foreign policy chief agreed to continue close consultations to advance the negotiation process. The two sides described the overall negotiation process as positive.

The Iranian foreign minister stressed that the Islamic Republic will not back down from its “red lines”, which are based on logic and realism.

Iran, UK FMs discuss Vienna talks

Amir Abdollahian also held a telephone conversation with his British counterpart Liz Truss. In the conversation, the two sides exchanged views on the Vienna talks, bilateral issues, and a number of issues of mutual interest such as the situation in Afghanistan and Yemen. 

Truss reviewed the latest developments in bilateral relations and the Vienna talks. The British foreign secretary considered the growing relations between Iran and the UK as serving the interests of both countries. 

She also expressed hope that her country would be able to pay its debts to Iran in the near future. 

She also noted the cooperation of Britain and the United Nations in assisting the people of Afghanistan and praised Iran's effective role and cooperation in this regard.

In this telephone conversation, Amir Abdollahian, referring to the visit of Iran’s Vice President to attend the Glasgow Climate Summit and the joint webinar of the parliamentary friendship groups of the two countries and the request of the British delegation to visit Tehran, positively assessed the relations between the two countries.

Referring to the approaching critical stage of the Vienna talks, the Iranian foreign minister stressed the need for seriousness and responsibility of the negotiating parties with Iran.

He said that reaching this stage of the talks was more than anything due to the logical approach and the initiative of the Iranian side.

He stressed the need for a collective agreement between all negotiating parties on a single text and the need to take into account the legitimate demands of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Amir Abdollahian called the humanitarian situation in Yemen and Afghanistan critical.

Explaining the principled position of the Islamic Republic towards Afghanistan, he called the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan important and stressed the need for the international community to provide immediate assistance to the people of this country.

In another part of the telephone conversation, Amir Abdollahian, referring to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, expressed hope that Britain would fulfill its responsibilities to end the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the continuing aggression and war in Yemen.

Iran and Russia FMs hold consultations over the phone

Top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov has held a telephone conversation with Amir Abdollahian over the trend of bilateral ties and some issues of mutual interest at the regional and international levels including the Vienna talks.

Lavrov thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its initiatives and constructive approach during the Vienna negotiations. He also stressed the need for continued consultations and talks between the various parties to the Vienna talks to review the texts and proposals and reach an agreement.

The Russian foreign minister also welcomed Iran’s hosting of the next session of the second P3 + 3 meeting on the South Caucasus and expressed hope that this conference will further ensure the interests of regional countries and maintain stability and security in the region.

In the telephone conversation, Amir Abdollahian also underscored the need for the other parties to the Vienna talks to pay attention to the full rights of the Islamic Republic while fulfilling their obligations in any agreement. The Iranian foreign minister also described the forthcoming session of the second P3 + 3 meeting on the South Caucasus as an opportunity for consensus and synergy to deepen regional cooperation in favor of the interests of the countries and people of the region.

Amir Abdollahian also spoke of the crisis in Ukraine after being informed of Moscow's position in this regard by his Russian counterpart. The top Iranian diplomat pointed to the presence of more than five thousand Iranian nationals including students in Ukraine and noted the Islamic Republic of Iran follows developments in this region sensitively. He said Russia's views and concerns about foreign interference are understandable to Iran, expressing hope that the current situation will be resolved through peaceful and constructive interaction and pursuit of a diplomatic approach by the two sides.