‘Vienna talks at critical point; progress made due to Tehran’s initiative’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says the Vienna talks are nearing a critical stage and that progress has been made in the process thanks to Tehran’s logical approach and initiative.

During a telephone conversation with his British counterpart Liz Truss, Amir-Abdollahian called on the other participants to act earnestly and responsibly in order to reach the desired results at the talks.

He stressed the need for reaching a consensus among all negotiating parties on a single text that would take into account the legitimate demands of the Islamic Republic.

The eighth round of talks between Iran and the P4+1 group of countries resumed in the Austrian capital last Tuesday after a 10-day break. The two sides have bridged some gaps, but differences remain.

The talks aim to bring the US back into full compliance with the 2015 Iran deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), almost four years after it unilaterally left the deal and took hostile measures – including the “toughest ever” sanctions – against Iran to destroy it.

During the talks, Tehran has said it is committed to negotiating a “lasting, reliable agreement” in the shortest time possible, but insists that it will not be bound by “artificial deadlines.”

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Elsewhere during their phone conversation, Amir-Abdollahian and Truss also exchanged views on the current state of bilateral relations.

The Iranian foreign minister evaluated the trend of ties between Tehran and London as “positive”.

Referring to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, he voiced hope that Britain would fulfill its responsibilities to end the catastrophe caused by the ongoing aggression against the impoverished country.

Amir-Abdollahian further explained Iran’s principled position on Afghanistan and stressed the formation of an inclusive government in the Central Asian state and swift assistance to its people by the international community.

UK debt to Iran

The British foreign secretary, for her part, said that the growing relations between the UK and Iran serve the interests of both countries.

She also expressed hope that Britain would be able to pay its debt to Iran in the near future.

The UK’s debt to Iran is estimated to be as much as £400 million ($542 million), arising from the non-delivery of tanks ordered by Iran’s ousted monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Additionally, Truss pointed to cooperation between London and the United Nations to help the Afghans, praising Iran’s effective role in this regard.

She further offered condolences over the passing of Iran’s Ambassador to Sana’a Hassan Irloo. The envoy died in December 2021 of the COVID-19 complications after some Saudi officials delayed his return home for medical treatment.

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