Nuclear Talks Won’t Be Necessary If Not In Line With Iran’s Interests - Lawmaker

An Iranian lawmaker says if the talks to restore the 2015 nuclear deal do not continue in line with the country’s interests, they will not be necessary.

Member of parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Zohreh Elahian said on Wednesday that it is not the policy of the current administration to negotiate for the sake of negotiating.

She reiterated that “all sanctions must be lifted, and we must certainly obtain a credible guarantee from the United States so that we do not face another withdrawal from the agreement and the return of sanctions”.

She added that the Islamic Republic has not gotten any credible guarantee so far, and US President Joe Biden’s statement will not meet Iran’s criterion for concluding an agreement. Former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Obama-era Nuclear deal JCPOA and imposed sanctions on Iran. 

Emphasizing that the parliament, the country's negotiating team and the Foreign Ministry are of the opinion that “an internal guarantee” must be obtained for the agreement, she explained that such a guarantee should be included in the agreement so if the other side reinstates sanctions or imposes new measures, Iran’s commitments to limit uranium enrichment will be cancelled. 

Direct negotiations with the United States are not currently on Iran’s agenda, the MP said and added. “We are waiting for the decision by the American side, and if this process becomes attritional, a decision will be made whether or not to continue the negotiations”.