Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 22
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iranian nuclear negotiators will ask for an explanation from the US delegation over the bill which was approved in Senate Committee on reviewing a nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic, Iranian deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said.
Araqchi however underlined that the committee decision is a domestic US issue which will not lift the US government obligations under a possible nuclear deal.
He made the remarks on April 22, before leaving Tehran for Vienna, Austria to take part in a fresh round of talks with P5+1(the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany).
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 19-0 last week for a compromise version of a bill, giving Congress the power to review a possible nuclear agreement with Iran.
Iranian senior negotiator further said that raising such issues would create serious doubts about the US side's good will and even can negatively affect the negotiations.
Araqchi also said that the sanctions' removal issue will be top agenda of this round of nuclear talks.
"We will ask detailed and clear information regarding the removal of the sanctions from the US negotiating team," he underlined.
Iran and the P5+1 will start process of drafting nuclear deal today in Vienna. The 3-day talks will kick off with meeting of the EU deputy foreign policy chief, Helga Schmid, representing the six powers and Araqchi. Deputy foreign ministers form the P5+1 will join the talks later.
The sides are scheduled to continue the talks in New York next week.
Iran and the P5+1 reached a nuclear framework agreement on April 2 that raised hopes for achieving a comprehensive nuclear deal by July 1. The deal provisions the removal of all international sanctions on Iran and in return narrowing the range of the country's nuclear activities.
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