Iran rejects western allegations of ‘failed talks’ in Doha

ByNews Desk- The Cradle 

The Iranian advisor to the negotiating team said, “We do not consider US media statements as serious"

The advisor to Iran’s negotiating team in Doha, Qatar, Mohammad Marandi, denied US allegations over the “failed” talks between Tehran and the EU, remarking: “We do not consider US media statements as serious.”

“The Americans must provide the guarantees that Iran wants in order to make sure that they do not stab us in the back, as they did in the past,” Marandi said.

The EU, Marandi explained, are interested in Iran today only because they are in dire need of oil due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

He went on to say that the sanctions imposed on Tehran must be lifted for the nuclear deal to be re-implemented; reiterating later on that the negotiations in Doha were not a failure, and will definitely continue.

Marandi claims that the EU placed pressure on the US to allow the nuclear talks to proceed.

He continued: “Biden is under intense pressure from opponents of the agreement, but at the same time he is suffering from an energy and oil crisis, and we will see which side wins.”

Marandi has been advisor to the negotiating team throughout the  Vienna talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which were deferred on 11 March.

On 29 June, a US State Department spokesperson said that the talks in Doha had concluded; and that Washington was grateful to the EU for their efforts, but disappointed at Iran for failing to respond positively to the EU initiative.

EU envoy Enrique Mora also claimed that the talks in Qatar had ended “without progress.”

The US continues to make allegations about Iran not being ready to move forward with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), despite Tehran repeatedly announcing their readiness to conclude the deal.

As a result of the constant delays of the revival of the nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on 27 June: “The US has shown how unreliable it is and that it does not honor commitments.”

This announcement comes days after the EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell visited Tehran on 25 June where he declared “the stalemate has been broken.”

During his meeting with Borrell, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian underlined the fact that Iran is ready to restart the talks in the coming days, but noted that the “full benefit of the Iranian nation” is the primary concern of the Iranian negotiating team.

The Vienna talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal were indefinitely stalled on 11 March after the US seized two Iranian oil cargo ships that Washington claims were in violation of sanctions.