TERAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who held talks with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Turkey on Friday, insisted on the need for removal of U.S.-led sanctions on Iran.
During the talks, held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Zarif pointed to Iran’s “bitter experiences” during Donald Trump’s presidency in which his administration violated the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA), saying there is no possibility for renegotiating the terms of the agreement and expressed hope that the nuclear deal talks in Vienna would bear fruit.
At the meeting, Borrell expressed hope that the Vienna talks would bear result.
Zarif also pointed to the ongoing developments in Afghanistan, saying political infighting within the Afghan government and also between political groups are serious hurdles to counter insecurity in the central Asian country.
The two senior diplomats also exchanged views on the latest developments in West Asia, Afghanistan, and Latin America.
In a phone conversation on Thursday night, Zarif and Borrell also discussed the latest developments pertaining to the Vienna talks and the considerable headway made with the negotiations, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
Zarif appreciated efforts made by Borrell and his colleagues at the EU’s External Action Service for leading the talks.
The Vienna deal talks are led by Borrell’s deputy, Enrique Mora.
The top Iranian diplomat also criticized Washington’s continued economic terrorism against Iran over the past five months since Joe Biden took over as president.
Zarif reiterated that it would not be acceptable to see the Biden administration continue to use the illegal and inhumane sanctions imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump as leverage in the talks.
“A fundamental change in this approach is a sine qua non for the Vienna talks to be fruitful, and this is a political decision that the U.S. president should adopt,” Zarif insisted.
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