Iran has made it clear that it will not hold talks with the United States in Vienna unless sanctions are lifted

Tehran, 4 Apr. (DPA / EP) –

The Iranian government has made it clear that it will not speak directly or indirectly with the United States at a meeting in Vienna next week unless the sanctions imposed by the North American country on the Islamic Republic are lifted.

Tehran has cooled expectations after US sources said it could contact Washington through intermediaries. This progress will be an unprecedented milestone since the United States withdrew itself from the nuclear deal signed three years ago in 2018.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Arachchi clarified this Sunday: “We will not speak directly or indirectly with the United States in Vienna.” In that sense, it is possible Tehran’s vision was “clear and simple” and that Washington should return to the nuclear deal and “lift sanctions.”

The meeting in the Austrian capital, promoted by the Western powers within the agreement, is being called as an opportunity to test the possibility of a turn in American politics after Joe Biden arrives at the White House.

Arachi, who heads the Iranian delegation, explained that he would only talk about technical issues related to the return of the United States to the agreement and that it would be up to other parties to change Iran’s position. “How they do it, whether they are successful or not, is something similar to them, not for us,” he argued.