The Iranian Foreign Minister recently demanded “a stronger text” from the US over its guarantees of lifting sanctions in order to reach an agreement to revive the nuclear deal…reports Asian Lite News
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran has sent a “constructive” response to Washington’s proposals aimed at reviving 2015 nuclear deal, which prompted a less positive impression from United States.
“The text that was sent (by Iran) has a constructive approach aimed at finalizing the negotiations,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB on Friday, news agency Reuters reported.
But the US State Department said the response was “not constructive.”
“We can confirm that we have received Iran’s response through the EU,” a spokesperson said. “We are studying it and will respond through the EU, but unfortunately it is not constructive.”
“Some gaps have closed in recent weeks but others remain,” said Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for White House National Security Council.
The Iranian Foreign Minister recently demanded “a stronger text” from the US over its guarantees of lifting sanctions in order to reach an agreement to revive the nuclear deal.
“Regarding lifting sanctions, we recently received the latest text from the American side, and my colleagues are carefully reviewing the text,” Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday during his joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Moscow.
“If America acts realistically and strengthens the existing text, an agreement will be within reach,” the Minister said.
The Iranian top diplomat also demanded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) refrain from “political behaviour,” noting Iran won’t accept any continued accusation made by IAEA when all the parties return to the nuclear deal.
Earlier, EU foreign policy Josep Borrell said in Prague that he was sure negotiations to restore the nuclear agreement with Iran could soon be successfully concluded.
“To me it’s clear that there is a common ground, that we have an agreement that takes into account, I think, everyone’s concerns,” he said in a press conference on Wednesday after a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers.
Efforts are underway to revive the 2015 Vienna agreement to set controls on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Tehran insists its nuclear research activities are solely for civilian use, dpa news agency reported.
The initial deal was struck in 2015, but fell apart a few years later during the US presidency of Donald Trump, who pulled out of the deal. EU negotiators have said a new version of the deal has been worked out and is only awaiting a yes or no from both sides.
Borrell recently circulated compromise proposals for an agreement text among Iran and United States’ negotiators, describing the response he received from both sides as reasonable.
“I am hoping that in the coming days we are not going to lose this momentum and we can close the deal,” the EU official said.