“Iran to Stop Talks If Feels Europeans Dragging Their Feet”

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi says the Islamic Republic will stop its current talks with the Europeans if it comes to this sense that they are wasting time.

Araqchi says if Iran feels that the current talks with the Europeans are becoming protracted or time-killing, it will quit the negotiations.

“We have called on the Europeans to respond to Iran’s demands about the JCPOA after the US withdrawal by sharing their proposals, strategies and action plans and offering relative guarantees to Iran, so that we can make our final decision about the nuclear deal,” he said, speaking to reporters on Sunday.

He said the Islamic Republic of Iran has not yet decided to leave or remain in the nuclear deal, adding the final decision will be made within the next few weeks after talks with the remaining sides of the JCPOA, according to a report by Fars News Agency.

In response to a question on whether or not the Iranian foreign ministry has adopted any measure to prevent the current talks becoming protracted, he said it goes without saying that the ministry acts based on the national interests of Iranians and if it comes to the sense that the negotiations are getting protracted or time killing, it will stop the talks immediately.

Araqchi went on to say that Iran will continue the talks as long as it feels that the negotiations are in the right direction and within its timeframe.

Responding to a question on whether or not Iran’s stance towards the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will lead to the collapse of the JCPOA, he said the issues have nothing to do with each others.

Since the US pullout of the deal, the other signatories have embarked on a diplomatic marathon to try to keep the agreement afloat.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced in at least 10 reports that Iran is still abiding by the deal’s key restrictions on its nuclear facilities in return for relief from damaging economic sanctions.

Iran has threatened to restart its uranium enrichment program at an “industrial level” if the deal falls apart.

The five signatories still committed to the agreement have said they want Iran to stay in the deal, with the European countries.

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