According to the German chancellor, there is now a possibility for a deal to be achieved and sanctions to be eased, while Iran claims it has never been this close to reaching an agreement.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday that "now is the moment of truth" to assess if Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers can be preserved, and that the Iranian leadership must make a choice.
Iran's foreign minister, on the other hand, stated that it is up to Western countries to demonstrate flexibility, and that "the ball is now in their court." He went on to say that Iran is willing to exchange captives with the United States.
Negotiators from Iran and the remaining parties to the agreement – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China – are currently meeting in Vienna to try to bring the agreement back to life. The agreement, which granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program, is currently on its last legs, according to the United Nations.
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| Press - AFP |
"All components for a completion of the discussions are on the table," Scholz told delegates at the annual Munich Security Conference that the Iran nuclear talks have progressed significantly over the past ten months and "have gone a long way."
But he also criticized Iran for ramping up its enrichment efforts and restricted inspections by monitors from the United Nations Nuclear Agency (UN Nuclear Agency).
According to Scholz, "we now have the possibility to strike an agreement that will make it feasible for sanctions to be withdrawn." Meanwhile, it is true that if we do not achieve success in this matter very fast, the discussions are at risk of failing.
"The Iranian leadership now has a decision to make," the chancellor continued. Now is the time to make a decision.
Because the United States withdrew from the agreement in 2018, under the administration of then-President Donald Trump, it has only had an indirect role in the negotiations. President Joe Biden has indicated that he would like to rejoin the agreement.
Under Trump's leadership, the United States reinstated harsh sanctions against Iran. As a response, Tehran has increased the purity and volume of uranium it enriches and stores in violation of the agreement, which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which was signed in 2015.
The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, stated a few hours later at the same Munich conference that "we are prepared to negotiate a decent settlement at the earliest feasible moment — provided the other side makes the necessary political choice."
He stressed that "we are in a rush" to achieve an agreement with the other side. However, he made it plain that the subject of US guarantees concerning the future of a restored pact continues to be a sticking point.
"I don't think we've ever been this close to a deal before." "It is the Western side that is responsible for presenting its objectives and demonstrating flexibility... So yet, they have not demonstrated any willingness to compromise."
"We feel that prisoner swaps are a humanitarian problem that is unconnected to the nuclear agreement," Amirabdollahian continued. "We can take care of it right away."
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
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