TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Wednesday briefed his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on the Vienna talks intended to lift sanctions on Iran.

“We have sent our message to America through Europeans and we hope that the American side to create the situation for agreeing on the final text by adopting a realistic and pragmatic approach toward the rightful and legal demands of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Amir Abdollahian noted.

The talks to revitalize the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), started in April 20121.

The last round of talks was resumed after nearly a five-month hiatus in Vienna on August 4. The negotiating sides said relative progress was made to resuscitate the agreement. However, after four days, the negotiators from Iran and the U.S. returned to capitals for consultation with top officials.

The return to capitals followed after European Union chief for foreign affairs and security policy Josep Borrell presented what he called a final text to revive the JCPOA.

The Iranian foreign minister hopes U.S. to lay the groundwork to restore the JCPOA by adopting a realistic and pragmatic approach.

Iran has been insisting that nothing is agreed until everything is resolved.

In a tweet on August 8, Borrell, who is the coordinator of the JCPOA talks, tweeted, “What can be negotiated has been negotiated, and it’s now in a final text. However, behind every technical issue and every paragraph lies a political decision that needs to be taken in the capitals.”

Oman says success of nuclear talks will benefit all sides

Iran’s chief diplomat also held phone talks with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi about the Vienna negotiations.

Amir Abdollahian also praised Oman for its mediation efforts to put the nuclear deal on the right track and thereby lift the sanctions on Iran.

For his part, al-Busaidi said, “Oman believes that a success of negotiations will benefit all sides.”

Oman and Qatar has been mediating between Iran and the U.S. to restore the nuclear agreement.

Prior to the recent Vienna talks, Qatar hosted indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in late June. As usual, the talks were coordinated by Borrell’s deputy Enrique Mora.

Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers condemn Israeli attacks on Gaza

In his talks with Cavusoglu, the Iranian foreign minister also censured the “barbaric attack of the Zionist regime” on Gaza in which a number of the Islamic Jihad resistance leaders and defenseless civilians, including children, were martyred. 

The Turkish foreign minister also described “cruel killings” of civilian people, including children, as “unjustifiable”.

The two chief diplomats also assessed the July 19 visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his top delegation team to Iran as positive and exchanged views on implementing the agreements made in the seventh Iran-Turkey high council meeting.

Amir Abdollahian said President Ebrahim Raisi has ordered related bodies to seriously follow up on the agreements signed during Erdogan’s visit to Tehran. The foreign minister went on to say that close interaction between the two countries’ ministries and institutions to materialize what has been agreed are in line with the interests of the two neighbors.

Oman will remain on the side of Palestinians

Amir Abdollahian also held talks with Oman’s foreign minister over the Israeli regime’s attack on the coastal enclave of Gaza.

During the Israeli air strikes on Gaza, Iran’s chief diplomat launched an intensive campaign against the attacks in his talks with regional and international figures.

Foreign Minister al-Busaidi also said, “Oman has always backed the rights and ideals of the Palestinian people and will stand on their side.”

Amir Abdollahian and al-Busaidi also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments.

They also reviewed certain issues of mutual interest.