It seems that even the Russian representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, is frustrated with Tehran's delays and its avoidance of setting a clear date for returning to nuclear negotiations. He sarcastically responded to statements made by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who reiterated that his country would soon return to the negotiating table in Vienna. Ulyanov tweeted in response to Abdollahian's comments, asking, "Soon, does anyone know what that phrase practically means?!"
This marks the second time that the Russian envoy has expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's stance on the timing of its return to discussions in recent weeks. This position comes at a time when Iran's margin of freedom is narrowing, particularly with increasing European and American pressures. The United States and three European powers agreed on Friday during consultations in Paris on the necessity of Iran's rapid return to nuclear talks, amid growing concerns over the delay. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price stated at that time, "We are united in our belief that negotiations should resume in Vienna as soon as possible, and specifically where they left off after the sixth round."
It is worth noting that the negotiations initiated in Vienna in April have been stalled since June, amidst persistent calls for their resumption and warnings that delays will open the door for Washington to consider other options. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned Iranian authorities multiple times recently about their continued violations of the nuclear agreement signed in 2015. On Sunday, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi reiterated the warning of a catastrophic scenario for the region if Tehran does not agree to allow monitoring of all its nuclear facilities and to install a camera at the Karaj facility, which was attacked last June.
