Iran says upcoming round of Vienna talks could be the last

Iran says upcoming round of Vienna talks could be the last
The Iranian official said parties involved in the negotiations have reached a 'clear text' on the agreement, which could mean that the next round of talks could be final.
2 min read
21 June, 2021
Iran hopes sanctions can be lifted after it reaches an agreement [Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday the next round of talks in Vienna on Iran’s nuclear deal could be the last.

His prediction was based on the negotiators' willingness to reach an agreement soon, as the European Union and US warned that talks "won't be open-ended".

During his weekly press conference, Khatibzadeh said all the committees involved in the negotiations reached a "clear text" for the draft agreement, stressing that the remaining issues needed a political decision more importantly.

"If the necessary decisions are taken, we can hope that the next round of negotiations will be final."

Iran demanded during the talks to obtain "guarantees" from the US administration that it will not withdraw from the nuclear agreement in a similar fashion to how former president Donald Trump did in 2018, he added.

The spokesman stressed that Iran's positions "have not changed and are consistent", calling on Washington to return to the agreement and lift sanctions.

Asked whether the nuclear agreement will be achieved in Vienna with the next Iranian government, Khatibzadeh said nothing was yet confirmed in this regard.

"These reports are incorrect and are not confirmed by what is happening in the negotiations. All parties in Vienna negotiated the details (of the agreement)" and none feel that they are procrastinating, according to Khatibzadeh.

He rejected statements made by US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to ABC, stressing that Iran "will not negotiate a new nuclear agreement" or agree to "additional conditions".

Sullivan said the US currently wants to re-impose restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme in accordance with the agreement, and "we will then negotiate a stronger agreement".

He also stressed that the US' "top priority now is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and diplomacy is the best way for that", noting that there was still some disagreement "on major issues around Iran's nuclear sanctions and commitments" during the Vienna talks.