Iran Says Nuclear Talks Need To See US Sanctions Lifted, Verified

Iran said Monday that it will continue its actions in breach of a 2015 nuclear deal until it is assured that the United States will lift its crippling sanctions in a verifiable manner.

During his weekly briefing to reporters, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Iran’s top negotiator in nuclear talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri, will travel this week to Britain, Germany, and France for meetings ahead of the restarting of negotiations to save the unraveling nuclear pact.

“They must lift the oppressive sanctions completely and effectively,” Khatibzadeh said, according to a report from Iran’s Mehr news agency. “They must guarantee that no administration in the United States mocks the world and international law” and again unilaterally pulls out of the agreement.

A date has been set for November 29 for restarting talks in Vienna to save the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action deal after a five-month gap in negotiations that began when Iran elected hardline President Ebrahim Raisi.

Iran will explain its position about the JCPOA talks in detail in the forthcoming trips,” Khatibzadeh said of Bagheri’s European tour. “Iran will not stop its compensatory actions until it is confident that US sanctions will be lifted in an effective and verifiable manner with the necessary and objective guarantees.”