Iran top negotiator ruled out direct talks with US
Iranian top nuclear negotiator has underlined that Iran's team is not going to hold direct talks with the US delegation in Vienna, Austria, an Iranian lawmaker said.
Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini, the spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian parliament, said on Wednesday that Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator and deputy foreign minister, has answered questions asked by members of the Committee on the pace of the Vienna Talks regarding removal of anti-Iran sanctions.
The spokesman went on to say that Bagheri Kani described the nuclear negotiations as positive and pointed to seriousness and good faith of the Islamic Republic during the Vienna Talks.
The top nuclear negotiator also emphasized that the Iranian delegation has held no direct talks with Americans so far, the MP noted.
According to the conclusion of discussions made at the session with the deputy foreign minister, holding such a direct negotiation with the US will bring no positive results in the current situation, he added.
Despite the fact that the Vienna Talks are moving forward in a positive atmosphere, there are still some remaining issues, which should be negotiated about and agreed on, Meshkini said, adding that the Islamic Republic is of course right to call for lifting all sanctions, but the other side has accepted removal of parts of sanctions up to now.
The legislator also stated that the situation on the ground indicates that the Islamic Republic has a say to pave the way for a win-win agreement if West shows seriousness and good faith.
The eighth round of the Vienna talks kicked off on December 12, 2021. The negotiating teams held talks on verification of future moves by the West on lifting sanctions and giving assurances to avoid repeating withdrawal from the JCPOA, which are underlined by the Iranian negotiators.
The vast majority of the negotiating teams from Iran, the European Union and the P4+1 group (Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany) acknowledged that the Vienna talks are moving forward despite complications on certain issues and the need for making political decisions.
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