Iran says U.S. approach to nuke talks "unconstructive"

TEHRAN, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Iranian foreign minister has called the U.S. approach to the Vienna talks "unconstructive," Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

Making the remarks in a telephone conversation with the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who also serves as EU coordinator of the Vienna talks, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticized the United States for "its unconstructive and hasty moves to get a resolution (recently) approved at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s Board of Governors."

"After the approval of the resolution at the IAEA's Board of Governors, we showed that we would not retreat from the rights of the (Iranian) people and if the U.S. wants to continue behaving unconstructively, it will be met with an appropriate response from our side," Amir-Abdollahian was quoted as saying.

In the meantime, the Iranian top diplomat welcomed "logical and result-based talks," saying that Tehran still believes that diplomacy is the best way to resolve the issue.

For his part, Borrell stressed the EU's continued efforts in the run-up to a deal in Vienna talks which aims at the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, adding that the only way out of the current situation is the pursuit of diplomacy and avoiding unconstructive actions.

"We are not far from a deal in Vienna and time is now to resume the talks swiftly and to make an effort to prevent an escalation," he said, adding that "I am ready to make necessary efforts to pave the way for a deal that would be agreed upon by all sides."

Last week, the IAEA passed a resolution drafted by the United States and the European troika of France, Britain and Germany, criticizing Iran for what they called its "failure" to respond to the IAEA questions concerning the "undeclared" nuclear sites.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital of Vienna between Iran and the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, including China, Britain, France, Russia and Germany, to revive the pact.

However, the Vienna talks have stalled since March this year due to reported major differences between Iran and the United States.