Talks to restore a 2015 Nuclear Accord signed between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the P5+1 together with the European Union will resume Monday, 27 December 2021 in Vienna, Austria, according to the two parties to the negotiations.
On Thursday, Russia’s top envoy to the discussion, Mikhail Ulyanov, said in a tweet that usually it’s not popular to engage in serious business between the Catholic Christmas and the New Year.
The #VennaTalks will resume on December 27. Usually It isn’t popular to engage in serious business b/w the Catholic Christmas and the New Year. In this particular case this is an indication that all negotiators don’t want to waist time and aim at speediest restoration of #JCPOA.
— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) December 23, 2021
The proclamation came on Dec. 23 due to warnings the landmark Accord could become obsolete within some weeks if the Islamic Republic continued to escalate its atomic activities as it has been doing since 2019, a year after America unilaterally announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and reimposed sanctions against the country.
Also, EU diplomat Enrique Mora wrote on Twitter that Vienna talks to resume on December 27. The JCPOA Joint Commission will meet to converse and define the pathway ahead. Important to pick up the pace on critical outstanding matters and proceed, working closely with America. Welcome to the eighth round.
Nuclear talks resumed November after a 5-month pause to attempt to revive the agreement, which was to offer Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its atomic program. Last week, the 7th round of negotiations ended, where some modest advances were reported.
Possible Return of America to 2015 Iran Deal
Reports specified the participants – China, Iran, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Germany, which took part in the negotiations, plus America, which is active indirectly – were near to reaching a new joint draft, incorporating elements from a text reached by the conclusion of the 6th round in late June and new proposals, by the President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration, presented in the form of two documents earlier in December.
The Islamic Republic has stated it wants all sanctions lifted, which are levied as part of the maximum pressure drive by America – a position the Western counterparts regard as maximalist. Tehran also wants a time period to verify the sanctions relief and guarantees America won’t return to the agreement again – requests it desires to present as part of a 3rd text.
According to the European Union’s foreign, representatives of Germany, France, China, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Iran will participate in the meeting. Moreover, the European External Action Service (EEAS) statement said that participants would continue the negotiations on the prospect of likely renege of America to the original 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal and how to assure the full and effective implementation of the Accord by all sides.
Previously, on Tuesday, the U.S. Special Representative for the Islamic Republic of Iran, Robert Malley, cautioned of a period of ‘escalating crisis’ if diplomacy failed to revive the deal.
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