Iran’s lead negotiator: US, Europeans should prove commitment to JCPOA

Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani says Tehran is a claimant in talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the United States and the European countries have reneged on their commitments under the deal.

Bagheri Kani, who also serves as deputy foreign minister for political affairs, said it was the United States and its European allies that should prove their commitment to the agreement and make up for their mistakes as soon as possible. He made the remarks during an interview with Press TV's Insight program on Saturday.

"As of now, we are the claimant and the other side are the Americans. They are the ones who should show their commitment in practice if they want to return to the JCPOA, as they say, and show their commitment to the agreement and the same goes for the Europeans. It is the Europeans who proved their non-adherence to our nation through various excuses  during the period when the US withdrew from the JCPOA."  

The senior diplomat went on to say the experience of the JCPOA has taught Iran not to rely on foreigners and move forward on its own without waiting for the deal to achieve its goals.

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Bagheri Kani said the US and its European allies have proved so far that when it comes to their interests, they don't "honor their promises" and pay no attention to moral principles.

Iran has always adhered to its commitments within the framework of the JCPOA and expects the other parties to the deal to adhere to their commitments as well, he added.

Bagheri Kani said Iran will not be indifferent to the other parties' non-compliance but will not disrupt the process of reviving the agreement either. He also said Tehran is still seriously following the sanctions-removal talks and hopes the efforts will bear fruit.

Iran and the five remaining parties to the JCPOA resumed talks in Vienna on November 29, 2022 after a five-month pause, marking the first round of negotiations under President Ebrahim Raeisi’s administration and the seventh overall.

The Islamic Republic maintains that its presence at the talks is intended to have the US sanctions removed, which would, in turn, secure a US return to the nuclear deal.

The US, which is not allowed to directly participate in the talks as a result of its 2018 withdrawal from the JCPOA, claims it is willing to undo the withdrawal and repeal its “maximum pressure” policy against Iran.

Iran argues that the onus is on Washington to return to the nuclear deal after removing its illegal sanctions and offering guarantees that it will not exit the pact again.

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