Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of Iran stated in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera that
the nation may establish a legal deadline for resuming stalled negotiations aimed at repairing its 2015 nuclear agreement with major powers.
The move might be made through the parliament as some Tehrani MPs, according to Amir-Abdollahian, get increasingly frustrated with the never-ending negotiations.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the agreement that the United States unilaterally abandoned in 2018, was mentioned. “In the parliament, there is this idea that the government should not perennially be in a path of negotiations to bring all parties back to the JCPOA,” he said.
Amir-Abdollahian claims that some parliamentary factions in Iran are promoting ideas and regulations that would make it “harder” for the government to continue the negotiations.
He told Ali Hashem of Al Jazeera, “The window of the talks to return to the JCPOA won’t be open forever.”
The conservative Iranian parliament last passed legislation pertaining to the nuclear agreement in late 2020, when it set a timeline for the lifting of American sanctions. Since that did not occur, Hassan Rouhani’s administration, a centrist, increased uranium enrichment while reducing nuclear inspections.
Politically speaking, President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration and the parliament are far more cohesive, and both have repeatedly held Washington responsible for the failure of negotiations that have been ongoing for almost two years.
Since last September, when Tehran and the Western parties to the agreement accused one another of negotiating in bad faith, the discussions have essentially remained in limbo.
Since then, the US and the EU have slapped numerous rounds of further sanctions on Iran due to its response to the country’s demonstrations as well as allegations that Tehran supplied Moscow with weaponized drones for the war in Ukraine. Iran has refuted claims that it gave Moscow weaponry to use in Ukraine.
Amir-Abdollahian reaffirmed Tehran’s position that Western supporters are to blame for recent “riots” in the nation, which he also claimed are impeding the negotiations.
On the condition that the American side behaves realistically, he stated, “We are now at a stage where reaching an agreement may be within reach.”
The international atomic energy agency (IAEA) and Iran are still in technical discussions, according to the foreign ministry, and Tehran intends to continue its collaboration with the IAEA. Neither party has offered specific information on the discussions.
Amir-Abdollahian stated, “We haven’t related the exchange of prisoners with the US to the JCPOA, but there are technical concerns that I hope lead to results.”
Iran is continuing its efforts to strengthen its ties with regional foe Saudi Arabia and perhaps other Arab nations despite the impasse over the nuclear deal.
Earlier this month, China mediated a deal between Tehran and Riyadh. Their foreign ministries were required by the agreement to reopen diplomatic missions within two months. Before the conclusion of Ramadan in late April, Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, are anticipated to meet to finalize the agreement.
The Iranian president was delighted to accept the invitation from the kingdom for a state visit. Amir-Abdollahian stated that Iran also intends to invite the Saudi royal family.
He said: “We believe normalizing relations between Tehran and Riyadh will not only help both governments and nations, it will also benefit the region.
Tehran hasn’t just focused on Saudi Arabia; it is also trying to mend fences with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. According to Amir-Abdollahian, Iran and Bahrain have been communicating through Oman and are currently sending delegations to visit embassies and examine the possibility of normalizing diplomatic relations.
During a conference in December devoted to Iraq, the foreign minister also spoke with the leaders of Jordan and Egypt and indicated a desire to continue the conversation.
“Across the region, quick changes are happening. Possibly ten years ago, the region was experiencing crises so quickly that political solutions lagged behind, according to Amir-Abdollahian.
But now that the region is getting closer to a higher grasp of the realities, international events and the region’s improved comprehension of them are enticing everyone to put an emphasis on communication, peace, and security throughout the region. The region is currently confronting a new climate of discussion and cooperation.
