TEHRAN —
Iran said Monday it has detected a new
"realism" on the part of Western countries, ahead of further
negotiations in
Vienna aimed at rescuing an accord on its nuclear program.
اضافة اعلان
"We sense a retreat, or rather realism
from the Western parties in the Vienna negotiations, that there can be no
demands beyond the nuclear accord," struck by Tehran and world powers in
2015, foreign ministry spokesman
Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters.
However, "it is too early to judge if
the US and the three European countries have drawn up a real agenda to commit
to lifting sanctions," he said.
Negotiations to restore the accord began
last year but stopped in June as Iran elected ultraconservative President
Ebrahim Raisi.
They resumed in late November and the latest
round is due to restart on Monday after a three-day break for the end of year
holidays.
The 2015 deal offered Iran much-needed
relief from sanctions that have crippled its economy, in return for curbs on
its nuclear program.
But
then-US president Donald Trump's
unilateral withdrawal from the deal in 2018 prompted Tehran to walk back on its
commitments.
"Today is the time for the opposing
parties to show their commitment and show that we can progress in the area of
lifting sanctions, of guarantees and verification, on which we have made little
progress," the spokesman said.
On Thursday, Washington voiced concern about
a new Iranian space launch last week but indicated it was still pursuing diplomacy
to return to a nuclear deal.
"The US remains concerned with Iran's
development of space launch vehicles, which pose a significant
proliferation concern," a State Department spokesperson said.
Trump's successor President Joe Biden backs
a return to the nuclear deal, with Washington indirectly taking part in the
European-brokered negotiations on reviving the so-called
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
"Iran's nuclear program was effectively
constrained by the JCPOA," the spokesperson said. "That is why we are
seeking a mutual return to full compliance with the deal."
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