Iran Urges West to Show 'Willingness' for Nuke Deal

On Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh called on the Europeans and the United States to show "willingness" for a possible nuclear deal.

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The Iranian delegation has presented its proposals on remaining issues to the relevant parties of the ongoing nuclear negotiations in Vienna, Khatibzadeh told a weekly press conference.

Dialogues in the Austrian capital have made significant progress, and the scope and number of controversial topics have reduced, he said, adding that some difficult and key issues remain to be addressed.

"We are still waiting for the decisions that Europe and the United States must make, and we have not yet seen that willingness in them," he said, stressing that the Iranian negotiators will never compromise on the rights of the Iranian people and the country's redlines.

"What is certain is that all sanctions must be lifted, regardless of their labels, which are inconsistent with the other party's commitments and an impediment to (Iran's) economic benefit from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This has been one of our principles and has been followed up to this day," he said, adding that any agreement in Vienna requires unfreezing Iran's assets held in other countries.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments one year later and advance its halted nuclear programs.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the United States indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal.