Final result of Vienna talks hinges on US reaction to Iran proposals: Russia

Russia’s top negotiator voices optimism over the progress recently made in the Vienna talks on a potential restoration of the 2015 Iran deal, saying a final result depends on how the US will react to Tehran’s latest proposals aimed at facilitating the conclusion of the diplomatic process.  

Mikhail Ulyanov, who is also Russia’s ambassador to international organizations in the Austrian capital, made the remark in a post on his Twitter account on Wednesday, in reaction to a report by the US-based New York Times a day earlier, which said European officials were increasingly optimistic about the prospects for a revival of the agreement.

“There have been reasons for optimism before, but on previous occasions expectations were not met,” he said. “This time more than ever we have a great chance to cross the finish line at the Vienna talks.”

The Russian diplomat added, “The final result depends on how the US reacts to the last Iranian reasonable suggestions.”

Ulyanov further said the reason why such a deal seemed more likely than ever was because “the latest (and most recent) Iranian draft proposals are not controversial.”

“I have no reasons to believe that they can be unacceptable for the US,” he said. “But let’s see and keep our fingers crossed.”

Late on Monday, Iran said it had provided the European Union’s coordinator in the JCPOA talks with its final conclusion related the bloc’s proposals for revival of the deal, emphasizing that it was now the US’s turn to show realism and flexibility if it really wanted a final agreement to be reached.

The EU confirmed that it had received Iran’s response, saying the bloc was studying the reply with the parties to the deal and the United States.

According to the New York Times report on Tuesday, officials described Iran’s response as “encouraging,” saying it does not raise major new objections.

Amir-Abdollahian: Iran will offer its final conclusion on EU’s plan to revive JCPOA by Monday midnight

The Iranian foreign minister says Tehran will provide the European Union with its latest conclusion on the EU coordinator

Separately on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price confirmed that the US had received Iran’s comments via the EU.

Price said President Joe Biden’s administration was still studying the notes and remained “engaged in consultations with the EU as well as with our European allies on the way ahead.”

The United States, under ex-President Donald Trump, left the deal — officially named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — in 2018 and returned the sanctions that the agreement had lifted.

Iran and the remaining parties to the deal resumed on-and-off talks on a potential revitalization of the deal in the Austrian capital of Vienna since last year, months after Joe Biden succeeded Trump, to examine the potential of the deal’s revival and removal of the sanctions.

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