Chief Iranian negotiator: Ball’s in US’s court

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator says Tehran will not give in to any pressure over its uranium enrichment program. Speaking to reporters in Vienna on Thursday, Ali Bagheri Kani said the ball is in the court of the US now regarding the removal of the anti-Iran sanctions.

Bagheir added that Iran has held multiple meetings with other signatories to the JCPOA both bilateral and multilateral meetings.

He noted that he held talks with Chinese and Russian delegations and the European troika, pushing for the removal of sanctions during the talks.

The top Iranian negotiator said Tehran gave the other parties to the talks two drafts regarding Iran’s position on the removal of sanctions and Iran’s nuclear actions. Bagheri said the other sides should first study these two drafts and then start serious talks with Iran. He also rejected a claim by some players outside the talks that Iran is not serious about the negotiations.

By external players, Bagheri apparently meant the Israeli regime. He added those players are also trying to hamper the Vienna negotiations.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister said he conveyed this concern to other parties during the talks in Vienna. Bagheri noted that the previous Iranian administration and the 4+1 group drew up a draft during their last round of talks, but the current administration in Tehran made some changes to the wording as it thought the draft had some shortcomings.

He added that Iran wants the 4+1 group – Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany- to carefully study the drafts and make their own proposals.

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