Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said he was approached by “Americans from various channels” while attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York late last month.
“I asked one of the people carrying an American message if the American intention was real, to which he replied, ‘I think it is real’,” said Amir-Abdollahian. “I said, if their intentions are real, they should release some of Iran’s blocked assets, for example $10 billon, and make a move so that we can say that Biden is different from Trump.”
Negotiations in Vienna to revive the nuclear deal to bring the United States back on board and Iran back into full compliance with its obligations began in April and had positive momentum, with Tehran’s envoy saying in June that they were close to reaching an agreement. But discussions were suspended to allow for the formation of Iran’s new government, which assumed power in early August.
Former US President Donald Trump quit the landmark nuclear deal in 2018 and imposed harsh sanctions. Tehran responded by walking back on its nuclear commitments. Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, has said he wants to rejoin. The US has not sat down with Iran yet but has been indirectly involved in the Vienna talks.
The other parties to the deal are pressuring Iran to resume the talks and Tehran says it will do so, but wants to see some tangible results.
“We told them that the new government of Iran will not go back to eight years ago or five years ago or a year and a half ago. And we do not come to the negotiating table to have coffee and then go back to the capitals and possibly exchange texts. You have to show your true intention and will,” said Amir-Abdollahian.
“The opposing parties must return to the negotiating table with the right understanding, and our goal is to achieve Iran's economic interests from Borjam,” he added, referring to the nuclear deal.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken last month said Washington is getting closer to giving up on the deal as Iran continues to advance its nuclear activities. Tehran’s position is that the US, which left the deal, must lift all sanctions.
Since May 2019, Iran has taken numerous steps to bolster its nuclear program - boosting its enrichment of uranium, bringing more advanced centrifuges online and producing uranium metal - despite commitments to limit activity. Tehran insists its goal is not a nuclear weapon.
