Russia's envoy at Vienna talks slams attempts to sidetrack from nuclear deal

Russia's envoy to the Vienna negotiations on Iran's nuclear deal, Mikhail Ulyanov, criticised attempts to include other issues on the agenda instead of just focusing on how to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Ulyanov said the negotiations in Vienna have taken longer than expected, adding that it needed more time after the recent Iranian presidential elections which saw hardliner Ebrahim Raisi win.

The Russian representative expected the talks to be finalised by around mid-July.

In the context of #ViennaTalks some analysts and officials advocate for addressing new topics such as regional security and missiles. An attempt to hit 3 birds with 1 stone. Unrealistic and counterproductive. The agreed goal of the talks is just to restore the original #JCPOA.

— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) July 5, 2021

Ulyanov's remarks confirmed what Iranian sources told The New Arab’s Arabic site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, regarding the talks in Vienna being delayed because of the recent political developments in Iran.

The nuclear accord, signed in 2015, was thrown into peril when Washington withdrew from the deal and imposed crushing economic sanctions on Iran. Tehran has since taken several steps back from its commitments to the deal.

Iran and the US are speaking indirectly at the talks.

Time is ticking for an agreement on the nuclear deal to be reached before Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who signed the accord, is replaced in August by president-elect Raisi.

Raisi has said he will not oppose any efforts to revive the deal.