Araghchi: Upon US to return to diplomacy by gaining Iran’s trust
Japan calls for resumption of Iran-US nuclear talks
Iran’s foreign minister said on Monday that it was the United States that should return to diplomacy by gaining Iran’s trust after his Japanese counterpart called for the resumption of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington as soon as possible.
During a 30-minute phone conversation, Abbas Araghchi and Toshimitsu Motegi discussed a range of issues including bilateral ties, international issues, as well as Iran’s nuclear program.
The Japanese foreign minister also urged Iran to resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
On November 20, Iran canceled a cooperation agreement it had signed with the IAEA in Cairo following the passage of an anti-Iran resolution at the agency’s Board of Governors.
Iran had earlier suspended cooperation with the IAEA over military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran’s nuclear sites in June.
Tensions between Tehran and the West have increased in recent months, especially after the three European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal – Germany, France and Britain – triggered the so-called snapback mechanism embedded in the nuclear agreement on August 28, which led to the reimposition of international sanctions against Iran.
They accused Iran of not honoring its obligations under the nuclear deal from which the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 and the European trio failed to fulfil their commitments.
Tehran has repeatedly said it was the United States and its European allies who undermined the nuclear deal by failing to live up to their commitments.
Despite their failure to fulfil their commitments, Iran began new negotiations with the US in April to resolve differences over its nuclear program. However, in the midst of the negotiations, Israel, greenlit by the US, launched attacks on Iran, which derailed talks between Tehran and Washington.
Referring to anti-Iran measures by the Western parties to the Iran nuclear deal, the top Iranian diplomat told his Japanese counterpart that now “It is the United States that must return to diplomacy by gaining Iran’s trust.”
West not ready for talks
In response to a question about a recent statement by the French Foreign Ministry, in which it said that “Iran must return to the negotiating table as soon as possible”, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said that repeating the claim that “We are ready to negotiate” would not change the fact that the Western parties were not ready for talks.
During his weekly press conference, Esmaeil Baqaei said that Iran’s position on the nuclear issue was clear.
“What Iran is doing is focused on exercising a right that, under international law and according to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, has been granted to Iran and every other country,” Baqaei said.
He also urged the West to refrain from pursuing coercive policies and demands that had no basis in international law.