Iran blames US ‘wrong policy’ for nuke talks impasse

TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian blamed the US “miscalculation and wrong policy” for causing the current stalemate on the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in an address to the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament in the Swiss city of Geneva, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement released by Iran’s Foreign Ministry on its website on Tuesday.

If all parties have the “determination and goodwill”, the few outstanding issues can be settled without any precondition and within the framework of the previous talks, thus enabling the parties to take the “final step”, the top Iranian diplomat was quoted as saying.

The US needs to have “the will and strength to conclude the lengthy talks”, he said, stressing that Iran is ready to continue the talks until the conclusion of an agreement.

Amir-Abdollahian said Iran’s nuclear program will remain “peaceful” and Tehran is determined to remain committed to its obligations under the safeguards agreement.

He also warned against any action to be taken during the upcoming meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in March, saying that Iran reserves the right to respond accordingly.

A technical solution is within reach if the IAEA stops its politically-motivated approach, said the Iranian minister.

Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the removal of the sanctions on the country. The US, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed its sanctions on Iran.

The talks on the JCPOA’s revival began in April 2021 in the Austrian capital of Vienna. No breakthrough has been achieved after the latest round of talks held in August 2022. (IANS)