Baghdad Calls for Direct Negotiations between Washington, Tehran

Iran

December 24th, 7:10am

London, Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein holds talks with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran (AFP)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein called for direct negotiations between Iran and the United States to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. Meanwhile, his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticized European parties for not presenting “new practical initiatives.” US-Iran relations have been severed since April 1980, just months after the fall of the shah and the occupation of the American embassy by students loyal to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. As for reviving the Iran nuclear deal, negotiations resumed in November after a five-month hiatus to try to restore the deal, which gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities. Diplomats from the remaining parties to the deal — Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia — are in talks in Vienna with Iran and the US, with the two sides refusing direct contact. “We call for, and this is no secret, direct negotiations between the two parties,” Iraq’s top diplomat said in a joint press conference with Amir-Abdollahian. “Iraq’s interest is in helping the two parties to sit round a table and talk,” he said. “We have proposed this to the Americans and have made this proposal [to Iran] and even before our visit to Tehran. It is better that a direct meeting take place between the American party and the Iranian party,” Hussein said. He said Iraq felt there was a “problem” with the negotiating mechanism at the Vienna talks. “The negotiations with the American side are indirect, through the European envoy,” he said. “We think the time has come for direct talks between Washington and Tehran to reach common understandings not just on the nuclear issue, but also on sanctions. We need direct contact between the two parties and we are working towards that,” Hussein said. While the Iranian foreign minister did not directly respond to Hussein’s comments, he did address the Vienna talks by slamming European countries for not having positive stances. “We do not see the position of some European countries as constructive, specifically that of France,” said Amir-Abdollahian at the press conference. “When they say they are concerned about the progress of Iran’s nuclear program, we say out loud: ‘If you want to have your concerns addressed, then all sanctions must be lifted.’” The nuclear accord began unraveling in 2018 when then-President Donald Trump withdrew Washington out and reimposed stringent economic sanctions against Tehran, which responded by resuming and then accelerating its enrichment of uranium, a potential pathway to nuclear weapons.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3376206/baghdad-calls-direct-negotiations-between-washington-tehran