Iran
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a cabinet meeting in Tehran on June 2, 2021. Photo: handout/Iranian presidency
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said the main issues with the United States over reviving the nuclear deal have been resolved and sanctions could be lifted in his last months in office if there is the "will" in Iran.
“Today, the main issues with the United States have been resolved,” Rouhani said in a cabinet meeting. “If there is a will to do this in this government’s term, this government has done it. It is loyal to its promise to the Iranian people to lift sanctions.”
The 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers was a hallmark achievement of Rouhani’s presidency, but it might not be salvageable after he leaves office in August and hands power over to whoever wins the June 18 presidential election. Hardliner Ebrahim Raisi is tipped to win.
Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and imposed harsh sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy. Tehran responded by steadily walking back on its nuclear commitments and has boosted its enrichment of uranium. Trump’s successor Joe Biden wants to rejoin the deal and American envoys are indirectly involved in negotiations in Vienna that would bring the US back into the deal and Iran back into full compliance.
"Everyone is talking about negotiation today and it was important that they understand that negotiating and interaction with the world is the main way to go,” Rouhani said, adding that no one wants confrontation with other countries.
"We have achieved great things in the last eight years and we have reached a point where no one can say that the JCPOA is bad,” he added, referring to the nuclear deal by its full name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
He called the talks in Vienna a “victory.”
The latest round of talks in the Austrian capital wrapped up on Wednesday evening. Negotiators from Iran, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany all “expressed pleasure with the progress made so far,” said Iran’s foreign ministry.
Delegates have returned to their capitals for consultations on the remaining issues and will reconvene next week, according to Russia’s envoy Mikhail Ulyanov.
The European Union’s Enrique Mora, who is chairing the talks, told journalists they are close to a deal, saying “I am sure that at the next round next week we will finally have an agreement," according to AFP.
“Today, the main issues with the United States have been resolved,” Rouhani said in a cabinet meeting. “If there is a will to do this in this government’s term, this government has done it. It is loyal to its promise to the Iranian people to lift sanctions.”
The 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers was a hallmark achievement of Rouhani’s presidency, but it might not be salvageable after he leaves office in August and hands power over to whoever wins the June 18 presidential election. Hardliner Ebrahim Raisi is tipped to win.
Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and imposed harsh sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy. Tehran responded by steadily walking back on its nuclear commitments and has boosted its enrichment of uranium. Trump’s successor Joe Biden wants to rejoin the deal and American envoys are indirectly involved in negotiations in Vienna that would bring the US back into the deal and Iran back into full compliance.
"Everyone is talking about negotiation today and it was important that they understand that negotiating and interaction with the world is the main way to go,” Rouhani said, adding that no one wants confrontation with other countries.
"We have achieved great things in the last eight years and we have reached a point where no one can say that the JCPOA is bad,” he added, referring to the nuclear deal by its full name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
He called the talks in Vienna a “victory.”
The latest round of talks in the Austrian capital wrapped up on Wednesday evening. Negotiators from Iran, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany all “expressed pleasure with the progress made so far,” said Iran’s foreign ministry.
Delegates have returned to their capitals for consultations on the remaining issues and will reconvene next week, according to Russia’s envoy Mikhail Ulyanov.
The European Union’s Enrique Mora, who is chairing the talks, told journalists they are close to a deal, saying “I am sure that at the next round next week we will finally have an agreement," according to AFP.
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