We received no initiative, proposal from other side in Vienna talks so far: Baqeri-Kani
Iran’s chief negotiator in Vienna talks on the removal of anti-Iran sanctions says the Iranian side has not received any constructive initiative or proposal from the opposite side during the ongoing negotiations in the Austrian capital.
Ali Baqeri-Kani made the remarks in an interview with Press TV’s correspondent in Vienna on Sunday, saying that the removal of the illegal and cruel US sanctions and Iran’s nuclear activities are two main sticking points in the current talks over which there still remains a host of differences between the two sides.
The diplomat added that despite this situation, Iran’s delegation has informed the opposite side of its views on differential points through modifications and proposals that it has offered the opposite party.
“When it comes to these points of difference, we have so far received no proposal and initiative from the opposite side,” Baqeri-Kani said.
Iran’s lead negotiator further stated that the removal of the illegal and cruel US sanctions and Iran’s nuclear measures are the most important bones of contention between the two sides during Vienna talks over which many differences still remain unresolved.
“...these differences are clearly visible in the final draft that was achieved following the sixth round of talks in Vienna… The differences, especially on the nuclear issue, are numerous and varied.”
Baqeri-Kani noted that during past few days, many sessions have been held both at the expert level and among chief negotiators to discuss modifications, viewpoints, and proposals offered by the Iranian side, which had been applied to the text of drafts drawn up during the sixth round of Vienna talks.
“These talks have been positive and moving forward,” Iran’s top negotiator concluded.
In an interview with Iran’s IRIB earlier on Sunday, Baqeri-Kani, who also serves as deputy foreign minister for political affairs, said the general atmosphere in the ongoing Vienna talks is very serious, adding that he is optimistic that a final agreement would be reached.
He added that Iran and the five remaining signatories to the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are holding talks on a host of issues during the seventh round of the Vienna negotiations, and have reached agreements on some of them, though a comprehensive agreement has not yet reached on many issues.
"For example, when it comes to Iran's nuclear activities, an agreement has been forged between the two sides on some of [outstanding] issues, but there are other issues in this area...which still remain to be agreed upon and negotiations on those issues will continue," said Baqeri-Kani.
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