Tehran has voiced its concern over the stalemate in the Vienna talks with its foreign ministry spokesperson warning that “prolonging” and “slowing down” indirect negotiations with Washington “is not in the interest of any of the parties.”
“Remaining talks and negotiations between Iran and the US must be followed along their track,” said Saeed Khatibzadeh, noting that the EU's coordinator for talks to restore the Iran nuclear deal, Enrique Mora, is working to resolve issues remaining between the two parties.
The European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borell, had held a phone call with the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the matter.
Khatibzadeh was asked about Borrell’s warning to Amir-Abdollahian about the consequences of a protracted impasse at the Vienna talks.
“Iran and Europe agree that prolonging the pause in the Vienna negotiations is not in the interest of the negotiations,” said Khatibzadeh, referring to the need for reviving the suspended discussions “through a face-to-face meeting.”
“No decision has yet been taken about the place and at what level this meeting will be held, but it is on the agenda,” added the spokesperson.
A statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry had quoted Borrell as saying in the phone call that the stalemate was “not constructive,” proposing a meeting between Mora and Iran's chief negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani.
For his part, Amir-Abdollahian confirmed that “consultations are underway.”
“There is no doubt that the Iranian administration wants to reach a good, strong and lasting agreement,” he said.
“The White House must abandon exaggerated demands and take a realistic path,” added Khatibzadeh.
He denied being aware of an agreement between Amir-Abdollahian and Borrell on a meeting that goes beyond the issues they talked about.
Referring to the exchange of messages between Tehran and Washington, Khatibzadeh said: “What is important is that the dialogues did not stop.”
“Bagheri and Mora communicate almost daily and regularly, and exchange messages. We continue the dialogues through the European coordinator,” he remarked, according to Iranian state news agencies.
