In response to recent statements made by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian regarding the date for resuming nuclear talks, which cast a shadow of ambiguity over the timeline, Russia's representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, called for not delaying their resumption. He tweeted on his Twitter account yesterday evening, commenting on the Iranian minister's remarks explaining what he meant by the phrase "soon" regarding the resumption of talks: "It goes without saying that it is the right of our Iranian counterparts to take more time if they need it, but I believe that further delays could negatively affect the atmosphere of negotiations and their continuation or successful completion."
Abdollahian responded to comments from Western officials about Iran's promise to begin the Vienna talks as soon as possible, saying, "Soon means as soon as our studies are completed, and there is a big difference between the Iranian 'soon' and the Western 'soon'." In statements broadcast by Iran’s official news channel yesterday, the Iranian minister, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said, "People keep asking about the meaning of 'soon'... Does it mean days, weeks, or months?" He continued, "The difference between 'soon' for Iran and the West is significant; for us, 'soon' means when we finish our review of the nuclear file. What matters is our determination to return to those talks in a serious manner that guarantees the rights and interests of the Iranian people."
He also added, "I remind you of Western promises, such as their repeated commitment to implement the INSTEX mechanism soon, within a few months," referring to the trading mechanism established by Europe to exchange humanitarian goods and food following the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement. It is worth noting that the nuclear talks, which began in Vienna in April 2021, have been stalled since June after six rounds of negotiations that did not resolve all outstanding issues between Tehran and the remaining five countries in the nuclear agreement: Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia, alongside the U.S., which participated in those negotiations indirectly.
