TEHRAN, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran will continue the path of diplomacy until achieving a final agreement in the Vienna nuke talks, the Iranian foreign minister said on Tuesday.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney, reported the Iranian Foreign Ministry on its website.
In addition to developing and proposing political initiatives, Iran has shown that it has the necessary will to reach a "good", "strong" and "lasting" agreement in the Vienna talks, the Iranian top diplomat was quoted as saying.
"Now, it is the American side that has to, by adopting a realistic approach, modify (former U.S. President Donald) Trump's illegal behavior and takes steps in the direction of (developing) political initiatives," he noted.
Coveney described Iran's initiatives in the Vienna talks as commendable, highlighting the necessity of reaching a "good" agreement through the diplomatic process that would be capable of safeguarding the interests of Tehran as well as the other parties.
Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with the world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear program in return for the removal of the U.S.-led sanctions. However, Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed the sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to reduce some of its nuclear commitments under the JCPOA in retaliation.
Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital of Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, including China, Britain, France, Russia and Germany, to revive the pact. The U.S. has been indirectly involved in the negotiations as it has quitted the deal. ■
