Iranian Foreign Minister Vows To Pursue Diplomacy in Stalled Nuclear Talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Tuesday that Iran would continue to seek a conclusion to the stalled nuclear talks through diplomacy and negotiation. Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks during an address to a commemoration ceremony, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website.

He emphasized that the “inherent responsibilities” of the Iranian diplomatic apparatus include reaching an agreement in the talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal in line with national interests. The foreign minister also reiterated that Iran has told the United States and other Western parties that observing red lines, safeguarding national interests, and achieving an agreement to which all parties are committed are top priorities.

Amir-Abdollahian said Iran would never leave the negotiating table, nor would it back down from its red lines, even under the toughest circumstances. The talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) began in Vienna, Austria in April 2021, aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. The United States pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting Iran to reduce some of its nuclear commitments under the deal.

Despite several rounds of negotiations, no breakthrough has been achieved since the latest round of talks in August 2022.