Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, on Sept. 30, 2014. (Xinhua/Bassem Tellawi)
TEHRAN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The bitter memories of the U.S. failure to deliver promises prompted Iran to seek a reliable agreement in the ongoing nuclear negotiations, a top Iranian security official said Wednesday.
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani made the remarks in a special meeting with a group of lawmakers on the latest developments in the Vienna talks focusing on the restoration of a 2015 nuclear deal, official news agency IRNA reported.
He highlighted the necessity of the swift settlement of a few remaining issues in the negotiations, saying the bitter experience of U.S. non-fulfillment of promises and Europe's inaction has made it inevitable that Iran will push for a reliable, balanced and lasting agreement.
Also, he said Iran's main strategy is to focus on the creation of mechanisms to "neutralize" U.S. sanctions in addition to having them lifted.
Photo taken on Dec. 9, 2021 shows a meeting of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria. (EU Delegation in Vienna/Handout via Xinhua)
During the meeting, the lawmakers underlined the need for continuous efforts by the Iranian negotiating team to uphold the nation's rights within the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments and advance its halted nuclear program.
Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the United States indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal. ■
