Foreign Minister Araghchi Says Talks On Iran's Nuclear Deal Will Immediately Continue

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. (Wikimedia Commons/Tasnim News Agency/Hamed Michelpour)

JAKARTA - Iran and European countries will soon resume negotiations on the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) regarding Iran's nuclear program, after previous discussions stalled in line with the exit of the United States.

"Now, European countries are expressing interest in continuing negotiations. We are likely to start working on it soon," Foreign Minister Araghchi said on Iranian state TV.

It is known, Donald Trump decided the United States left the Iran nuclear deal unilaterally in 2018, when he served as president.

"The Pezeshkian Government (President of Iran Masoud) proposes to restart talks in New York (on the sidelines of the United Nations (UNGA) Summit on September 24-30). Europe and the United States welcome the proposal," he explained.

He added that since the late president Ebrahim Raisi, Iranian-US negotiations have been conducted through Oman mediation, but the process has been suspended since May.

In New York, both sides "showed interest in continuing the two negotiation processes: one with the European side and the other on Oman with the American side, but further consultations stalled amid developments (conflicts) in Lebanon," Araghchi concluded.

This week, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi met with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi who visited Iran.

President Pezeshkian said Iran's search for nuclear technology was in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s legal framework and license, not intending to develop nuclear weapons.

"Iran is very ready to cooperate with international agencies to answer any questions regarding its peaceful nuclear program," President Pezeshkian said, launching IRNA.

Grossi himself said, "concrete, real and visible results" were needed in disputes over Iran's nuclear program to avoid war, after meeting with top Iranian officials such as Foreign Minister Araghchi and Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Head Mohammad Eslami, quoted from The Times of Israel.

"We have a situation of tension," Grossi said.

"Iran's nuclear program is the center. And I am here to work closely with Iran to find adequate solutions," he continued.

"It is very important to achieve, at this point, some concrete, real and real results that will show that this cooperation improves the situation and in general keeps us away from conflict and ultimately war," he said.