Tehran, Iran (Washington Insider Magazine) – Iran’s foreign minister has stated that Tehran is open to engaging in direct discussions with Washington if efforts to resurrect the Iranian nuclear agreement progress to the point when such dialogue is required.
Hossein Amirabdollahian’s comments come as US officials urged direct talks to revive the 2015 agreement, usually described as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) (JCPOA).
Iran had recently ruled out face-to-face talks with the United States. Instead, the two parties have been secretly negotiating in Vienna to resurrect the nuclear deal, which saw Iran curtail its nuclear development in exchange for the removal of international sanctions on its domestic economy.
The administration of US President Joe Biden reaffirmed its desire for direct discussions later on Monday.
A Department of State spokesperson told the AFP news agency that meeting directly would allow for more effective communication, which is critical in order to quickly establish an accord on a joint return to JCPOA compliance.
Last month, US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley told Al Jazeera that US officials are eager to meet with their Iranian colleagues at any hour and in any location.
Former US President Donald Trump pulled the US from the agreement in 2018 and launched a sanctions campaign against Tehran, which countered by expanding its nuclear program far beyond the JCPOA’s boundaries.
Biden has promised to reinstate the agreement, but multiple rounds of discussions in Vienna have so far been unable to secure a way back into it.
The US administration claims that one of its international policy’s priority is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while Tehran has denied that it is eyeing nuclear weapons.
When asked if the JCPOA might be revived by resuming indirect negotiations in Vienna, Biden told the media last week that it was not time to surrender.
While American officials seek to repair the nuclear agreement, Malley spoke on Sunday that they are also fighting for the freedom of four US nationals detained in Iran, whom the US considers to be hostages.
On Monday, Tehran denied any relation between the nuclear talks and the release of the detainees.
The JCPOA is running out of time, according to US officials, with Iran developing irreversible nuclear expertise.