Speaking to National Iranian television on Thursday night, a day before the fifth round talks with the US on the nuclear issue in Rome, Abbas Aragci emphasized that he would not retreat from nuclear rights.
He said the 2015 nuclear deal, fully known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has not yet died, but it cannot be revived either. He added that the JCPOA revival will not bear fruit on Iran.
“We will not withdraw from rights. Our nuclear program, including nuclear enrichment, will continue. However, we are confident in the peaceful nature of the program, so we are ready to adopt measures of trust building and transparency and accept broader surveillance,” he said.
Top Iranian negotiators in talks with the US said Europeans threatened to trigger a snapback mechanism built into the 2015 nuclear deal, and that they were not involved at all but aimed at participating in ongoing negotiations. “Europe has no role in negotiations taking place between the US and the US.”
Araghchi advised Europeans not to cause snapback mechanisms as they would put a non-proliferation treaty in danger if they advanced the threat.
“If Europe wants to play its role, it must abandon its hostile and conflicting policies against Iran.”
The Foreign Minister said he and his teammates will leave for the Italian capital for the fifth meeting, saying, “We must wait tomorrow to see if the other side is willing to revise its position.”
“As long as Americans come with us and accept our position, we will continue our diplomacy,” he added.
He wrote a letter to the UN Secretary-General early today about Israel’s threat to Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying, “We have made it clear that we are ready for a decisive response and that if the threat continues, we will force special arrangements to protect our facilities and materials.
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