Iran agrees to resume nuclear talks in November

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News October 28, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator on Wednesday that the negotiations between Iran and six world powers aimed at resuming the 2015 nuclear agreement will resume at the end of November.

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani met with EU’S External Action Service Deputy Head Enrique Mora in Brussels on October 27 to discuss the resumption of nuclear talks.

After the meeting with the EU official, Ali Bagheri Kani wrote on his Twitter message “Had a very serious & constructive dialogue with @enriquemora_ on the essential elements for successful negotiations. We agree to start negotiations before the end of November.” Ali Bagheri Kani added that the “Exact date would be announced in the course of the next week.”

Earlier in April 2021, Iran and P5+1 countries started discussions on saving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, after the former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the deal. However, with regime change in Tehran, talks were halted between Iran and six powers.

In recent months, the Western countries have been increasingly concerned about Iran’s nuclear progress, as the talks between Iran and P5+1 were suspended in June after six rounds.

P5+1 countries include the U.N. security council members, the U.S., France, the UK, Russia, and China, plus Germany. P5+1 countries have been working with Iran since 2015 under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Marley said on Monday that efforts to resume talks with Iran were at a “critical stage” and Iran has very few reasons to avoid the negotiations.

Robert Malley said that “We’re in a critical phase of the efforts to see whether we can revive the JCPOA… We’ve had a hiatus of many months and the official reasons given by Iran for why we’re in this hiatus are wearing very thin.”

Malley also stressed that although the U.S. prefers to engage in diplomacy with Iran, the Biden administration is considering other options to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, if talks failed.

Despite six rounds of talks in Vienna, the U.S. and Iran disagree on steps that need to be taken, and the disagreement remains on sanctions relief.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said during a news conference that U.S. President Biden needs to take positive steps, and “[President] Biden has to put his goodwill into practice by for instance releasing $10 billion of Iran’s blocked assets.”

Hossein Amirabdollahian also emphasized that “America’s return to the deal does not matter to us. What is important is that the outcome of talks be in Iran’s favour.”

Last week, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi met with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss Iran nuclear deal. IAEA Director-General Grossi underlined the importance of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and said that “With a 24/7 inspector presence in Iran, the IAEA stands ready to continue playing its role as guarantor and verifier of the JCPOA and any future agreement.”