BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 4. Iran is ready to engage in constructive discussions about its nuclear program without delay, the country's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, Trend reports.
In an interview with Chinese television, Araghchi stated that Iran intends to initiate talks regarding its nuclear program, intending to reach a mutually agreed-upon deal.
He explained that over the past two years, Iran held friendly discussions with the P5+1 group (the US, the UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany), leading to an agreement that was recognized as a diplomatic achievement by the entire world. However, the current situation has arisen due to the United States' withdrawal from the agreement.
“From Iran’s perspective, the formula should be similar to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), where the removal of sanctions would lead to the establishment of trust in Iran’s nuclear program. Based on this principle, Iran is ready to engage in discussions," he added.
The Iranian foreign minister also noted that a round of talks had already been held with European countries, namely the UK, France, and Germany, and a second round of discussions is scheduled to take place within the next two weeks.
According to Araghchi, China and Russia have played a constructive role in the discussions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and are expected to continue their positive contributions.
He stressed that the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018 created significant challenges, leading to new sanctions against Iran, which prompted a necessary response. However, Iran remains firm in its belief that the path of diplomacy is never closed.
To note, in January 2016, the JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran's nuclear program. However, the U.S. withdrew from the agreement in May 2018 and imposed new sanctions on Iran that November. In 2020, Iran declared that it would not be subject to any limitations under the nuclear deal.
At the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to implement a strategic plan in the nuclear field with the aim of lifting sanctions. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, Iran has suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear agreement. At the same time, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) control mechanism decreased by 20-30 percent.