Under the title "Tehran on Nuclear Talks: We Do Not Intend to Remain at an Impasse," Al Arabiya reported that Iran has reiterated its commitment to its conditions regarding nuclear talks, stating that there is no alternative to lifting U.S. sanctions and providing guarantees against Washington withdrawing from the agreement again. Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian commented on Instagram yesterday evening, asserting that his country does not intend to remain in what he described as the "deadlock reached in previous talks." He added, "If the other party enters the Vienna negotiations with a serious and positive approach, it will be possible to reach a good agreement in the short term."
**Lifting Sanctions and Guarantees**
However, he shifted the responsibility to the U.S., considering that reaching a good agreement "requires the effective and verifiable lifting of the bans and the return of other parties to their full commitments." The Iranian chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, met yesterday with EU nuclear talks coordinator Enrique Mora in Spain as part of a European tour that also included France and Britain. According to the IRNA news agency, Bagheri Kani stated that the two main issues in the Vienna negotiations are "the cancellation of the sanctions and the return of the United States to the nuclear agreement."
**"The Ball is in Their Court"**
It is noteworthy that the Iranian Foreign Minister had also expressed days prior the readiness of his country to reach a "good understanding" in the negotiations aimed at reviving the nuclear agreement, set to resume on November 29, 2021, deeming the return of all parties to their commitments as "an important and fundamental principle." However, two Iranian officials later expressed their pessimism, stating in remarks to Reuters that the likelihood of negotiations failing is greater than the chances of success. Additionally, a hardline Iranian official, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that "the country’s nuclear facilities are operational... and the country can live with the deal (reviving the nuclear agreement) or without it... the ball is in their court."
These positions come two weeks before the Vienna talks resume on November 29, aiming to revive the agreement from which Washington unilaterally withdrew three years ago, reimposing severe sanctions on Tehran.
