Sanctions removal talks in Vienna at final stages: FM Amir-Abdollahian

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and remove sanctions against Tehran are at the "final stages" but the United States needs to adopt a realistic approach.

In a meeting with President of Zanzibar Hussein Mwinyi on Friday, Amir-Abdollahian said the outstanding issues in talks to revive the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), can be resolved if the US acts realistically.

The United States, under former president Donald Trump, abandoned the agreement in May 2018 and reinstated unilateral sanctions that the agreement had lifted.

The talks to salvage the agreement kicked off in the Austrian capital of Vienna in April last year, months after Joe Biden succeeded Trump, with the intention of examining Washington's seriousness in rejoining the deal and removing its anti-Iran sanctions.

Despite notable progress, the US indecisiveness and procrastination caused multiple interruptions in the marathon talks.

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi said on Sunday that his administration would not give up on the nation’s rights in any negotiations, in a clear allusion to the ongoing talks on the JCPOA revival.

President Raeisi: Iran will not give up on nation’s rights in any negotiations

Iran’s President Raeisi says his administration will not give up on the nation’s rights in any negotiations.

He said the Iranian administration “will not tie people’s livelihood to any external factor and will persevere in its effort to solve the problems facing the country and people.”

Elsewhere in the meeting, Amir-Abdollahian, who is on a three-nation tour of Africa, submitted an official invitation from Iran's President Raeisi to Mwinyi to visit Tehran.

He said Iran is one of the world’s leading countries in medicine, hi-tech industries, and other sciences, adding that Tehran is ready to share its know-how and technology with African countries.

The top Iranian diplomat also voiced Iran’s readiness for cooperation in oil and gas extraction.

For his part, Mwinyi expressed Zanzibar’s interest in investment and trade with Iran, saying his country enjoys great capacities in marine industries and fisheries.

Mwinyi added that Zanzibar is ready to cooperate with Iran for oil and gas extraction, the establishment of technology parks, agriculture, education, and dam and road construction.

The president of Zanzibar also hailed Iran's very advanced defense industry.

Iran, Tanzania will set up roadmap to boost all-out ties: FM Amir-Abdollahian

The Iranian foreign minister says Iran and Tanzania will set up a roadmap to accelerate the expansion of relations in various fields.

Amir-Abdollahian had earlier traveled to Tanzania and Mali and held talks with the two countries' officials. He underlined the development of economic ties with African countries as one of Iran’s foreign policy priorities.

Amir-Abdollahian meets Tanzanian president

Earlier on Friday, Amir-Abdollahian met with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to hand over to her an invitation from President Ebrahim Raeisi for a visit to Tehran.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and international developments, with the Iranian foreign minister stressing the need to make more efforts to expand bilateral economic and trade ties.

Suluhu, for her part, called for boosting bilateral ties, saying she plans to visit Tehran by the end of the year.

In a separate meeting with his Tanzanian counterpart Liberata Mulamula, Amir-Abdollahian underscored the need to implement the agreements reached between the two countries.

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