US not interested in strong deal in Vienna talks: Shamkhani

Iran’s top security official says the US approach towards the ongoing talks in Vienna, aimed at reviving the 2015 multilateral deal, shows that Washington has no desire for a strong deal.

In a post on his Twitter account on Thursday, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani complained about the way Washington is responding to Iran’s principled demands.

He also warned that the negotiations in the Austrian capital are becoming more complicated every hour as the US refrains from making a political decision.

“US approach to Iran's principled demands, coupled with its unreasonable offers and unjustified pressure to hastily reach an agreement, show that US isn't interested in a strong deal that would satisfy both parties. Absent US political decision, the talks get knottier by the hour,” Shamkhani said.

The Vienna talks began last April on the assumption that the US, under the Joe Biden administration, is willing to repeal the so-called maximum pressure policy pursued by former President Donald Trump.

Tehran says it won’t settle for anything less than the removal of all US sanctions in a verifiable manner. It also wants guarantees that Washington would not abandon the agreement again.

SS