Iran welcomes calls to resume nuclear talks, demands actions over words

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran welcomed calls by western nations to resume nuclear deal talks, its foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, demanding tangible action be put into motion.

“The criterion for us is the action of the other party,” Iranian state media quoted Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying, adding that Iran welcomes the intent of other parties to resurrect the deal.

Under former US President Donald Trump’s administration, the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord and imposed a raft of sanctions in an effort to force Tehran to renegotiate a broader deal. The campaign failed as Iran expanded its nuclear program and is now enriching uranium at levels far beyond limits set in the accord.

Biden wants to return to the deal. But talks to bring the US back on board, lift sanctions, and get Iran back into full compliance with its nuclear commitments were suspended in June to allow for the transition of its new government. Tehran, under diplomatic pressure to resume talks, has indicated it will be ready to do so by the end of November. 

The words from Khatibzadeh came after France, Germany, UK, and the US called on Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to return to negotiations in “good faith”, calling it the only means of avoiding a “dangerous escalation”. 

Khatibzadeh criticized the US government claiming that their words do not align with their actions. “Contrary to its stated position, the new US administration continues to pursue a policy of maximum pressure leading to the imposition of new sanctions or the re-imposition of previously lifted sanctions,” he said.

The US on Friday announced sanctions targeting Iran’s drone program, which it said has been used to attack American forces and partners in the Middle East, including Iraq. 

Iran said that the measures, imposed days after Tehran’s chief nuclear negotiator indicated Iran was ready to resume stalled nuclear talks, show Washington is “not trustworthy.” 

Khatibzadeh also claimed that the joint statement by the four countries was exaggerated.

"The so-called nuclear crisis, which is exaggerated in this statement, is no more than a fictitious and propaganda crisis, but whatever it is, the current situation is in fact the result of irresponsibility and non-compliance with the fulfillment of obligations by the issuing governments,” he said.

The US has criticized Iran’s delays in agreeing to return to the talks in Vienna.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said last month that the “window is closing” on Iran’s pending decision to pick up talks. 

“Every day that goes by is another day that Iran is in a position to advance its nuclear program in ways that are concerning,” he said. “We’re not putting a specific timeframe on it, but we are making the point that this is not a process that can go on indefinitely.”