Iran's FM urges U.S. to act realistically to end nuclear talks

TEHRAN, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian foreign minister said on Monday that if parties to the Vienna talks, especially the United States, act realistically and avoid adopting unconstructive approaches, the road will be paved for an agreement on the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone conversation with European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after the latest round of the Vienna talks came to an end earlier in the day, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website.

Amir-Abdollahian added the Iranian negotiating team took part in the talks in the Austrian capital with the sincerity to reach a deal and put forward constructive ideas to resolve the remaining issues.

Tehran has informed Enrique Mora, EU coordinator for the Vienna talks, of its views and considerations about his proposed ideas, the Iranian foreign minister said.

All parties are expected to show determination and sincerity to come up with a final text of a draft agreement, he added.

A final deal must fulfill the rights and interests of the Iranian people and guarantee the sustainable removal of anti-Iran sanctions, Amir-Abdollahian noted.

Borrell tweeted earlier in the day that "what can be negotiated has been negotiated, and it's now in a final text."

"However, behind every technical issue and every paragraph lies a political decision that needs to be taken in the capitals," he said, adding that "if these answers are positive, then we can sign this deal."

Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact.

The talks on reviving the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington.

The latest round of talks, which had begun on Thursday following a five-month hiatus, came to an end on Monday.