Tehran’s envoy condemns ‘murderous sanctions’ as nuclear talks resume
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Talks to revive Iran’s nuclear deal will resume on Saturday with Tehran condemning Washington’s “murderous sanctions” and dismissing a possible goodwill gesture from the United States, which lifted some sanctions this week.
“Trump is gone, but his unlawful & murderous sanctions are still there. No need for crocodile tears when US efforts to immiserate 82 million Iranians are ongoing. Economic terrorism amid a PANDEMIC, is a crime against humanity,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi tweeted Saturday morning.
Representatives of Iran, China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany will meet in Vienna for a sixth round of talks chaired by the European Union’s Enrique Mora on how the United States can return to the nuclear deal and Iran can return to full compliance with its obligations under the accord. The United States is participating indirectly.
“Will it be the final round? Nobody knows but all negotiators hope so,” tweeted Russia’s envoy Mikhail Ulyanov.
Previous rounds of talks ended with optimism that an agreement could be reached, though there remain a lot of details that have to be finalized.
On Thursday, Washington lifted sanctions on three Iranian officials and two companies involved in the oil trade. Officials denied the move was related to the nuclear talks.
The spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry said the delisting would not be taken as a sign of goodwill. “Selective US delistings are neither related to JCPOA talks nor viewed as signals of goodwill — specially when coupled with renewed economic terrorism,” tweeted Saeed Khatibzadeh, referring to the deal by its full name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear accord in 2018 and imposed harsh sanctions in a bid to force Iran to make a new, broader deal that would also cover its ballistic missile program and regional activities. The sanctions crippled Iran’s economy but did not succeed in pressuring Tehran to make any concessions. Iran is now enriching uranium up to at least 60 percent, far above the 3.67 percent limit set in the JCPOA.
Current US President Joe Biden wants to return to the accord, as his Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, putting the “nuclear problem back in the box that it was in.”
“Trump is gone, but his unlawful & murderous sanctions are still there. No need for crocodile tears when US efforts to immiserate 82 million Iranians are ongoing. Economic terrorism amid a PANDEMIC, is a crime against humanity,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi tweeted Saturday morning.
Representatives of Iran, China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany will meet in Vienna for a sixth round of talks chaired by the European Union’s Enrique Mora on how the United States can return to the nuclear deal and Iran can return to full compliance with its obligations under the accord. The United States is participating indirectly.
“Will it be the final round? Nobody knows but all negotiators hope so,” tweeted Russia’s envoy Mikhail Ulyanov.
Previous rounds of talks ended with optimism that an agreement could be reached, though there remain a lot of details that have to be finalized.
On Thursday, Washington lifted sanctions on three Iranian officials and two companies involved in the oil trade. Officials denied the move was related to the nuclear talks.
The spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry said the delisting would not be taken as a sign of goodwill. “Selective US delistings are neither related to JCPOA talks nor viewed as signals of goodwill — specially when coupled with renewed economic terrorism,” tweeted Saeed Khatibzadeh, referring to the deal by its full name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear accord in 2018 and imposed harsh sanctions in a bid to force Iran to make a new, broader deal that would also cover its ballistic missile program and regional activities. The sanctions crippled Iran’s economy but did not succeed in pressuring Tehran to make any concessions. Iran is now enriching uranium up to at least 60 percent, far above the 3.67 percent limit set in the JCPOA.
Current US President Joe Biden wants to return to the accord, as his Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, putting the “nuclear problem back in the box that it was in.”