Published: 21:21, May 16, 2022 | Updated: 21:35, May 16, 2022
Iran demands US response to proposals on stalled Vienna talks
By Xinhua

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh holds a press conference in Tehran on May 9, 2022. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

TEHRAN - The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday called for a US political decision on the Vienna nuclear talks, saying Iran has already made its own proposals.

"If the United States announces its political decision, we can take an important step in this regard," Saeed Khatibzadeh said during his weekly press conference, reaffirming Iran's demands that its legal rights should be respected and all pressures exerted by former US President Donald Trump removed.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh also praised Russia's "constructive" role in the Vienna talks, but said the current Russia-Ukraine crisis may reduce its intermediary role in the talks

Referring to the recent visit by Enrique Mora, EU chief coordinator for the Iran nuclear talks, Khatibzadeh said "definite initiatives" and "some solutions" were proposed during Mora's visit and his "long talks" with Ali Bagheri, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator in the Vienna talks.

"If the United States responds to these proposals, we will be in a position where all parties will return to Vienna to reach an agreement," the Iranian spokesman said.

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Khatibzadeh also praised Russia's "constructive" role in the Vienna talks, but said the current Russia-Ukraine crisis may reduce its intermediary role in the talks.

On Friday, EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Mora's recent talks in Tehran had gone "better than expected."

Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with the world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of the US-led sanctions.

However, Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to drop some of its nuclear commitments under the JCPOA.

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Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, including China, Britain, France, Russia and Germany, with the United States indirectly involved, to revive the landmark pact.