Araqchi in Austria for JCPOA Joint Commission session

At the 18th Session of JCPOA Joint Commission which was held via video conference delegations from Iran and the G4+1 countries decided to participate in an actual meeting on Tuesday, April 6, 2121 in Vienna.

The quarterly meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA was held in video conference on Friday and delegations from Iran and 4+1 (E3+China and Russia) attended the meeting, discussing latest developments regarding the deal.

Araghchi who led Iranian delegation clearly explained Iran’s thoughts on US rejoining the JCPOA.

The online conference was chaired on behalf of EU High Representative Josep Borrell by the Deputy Secretary General and Political Director of the European External Action Service Enrique Mora.

Araghchi said on Sunday that Iran is holding technical talks with the P4+1 group in Vienna on ways to lift the sanctions, ruling out any direct or indirect negotiation with the US.

He added "What we pursue in the Joint Commission in Vienna is exactly based on Iran's definite stances, which have been repeatedly being declared by the Supreme Leader."

Iran has declared its conditions for returning to the 2015 nuclear deal, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Araghchi said, adding that Tehran wants the US compliance with all of its commitments under the deal and lift all sanctions it has re-imposed on the Iranian nation; then, Iran will verify the process and will return to the JCPOA.

If the P4+1 group (Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany) can urge the US to hold up its end of bargain, it is natural that Iran will return to the deal, the diplomat stated, noting that the negotiations in Vienna are completely technical, which are about the measures that the Americans are expected to do in respect of the lifting of sanctions.

"It should be said that we have no step-by-step plan or step-by-step suggestion and will not accept it," he warned, adding that there is only one step, which the United States' stepping back from all sanctions that have been imposed after the Trump administration's withdrawal from the JCPOA in May 2018.

The deputy FM went on to say that the final steps, which should be done in this regard, are being discussed at technical sessions with the P4+1 representatives.

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