TEHRAN: Iran is 'determined' to reach an agreement with major powers on salvaging its 2015 nuclear deal at talks that resume Monday in Vienna, its foreign ministry spokesman said.
鈥淭he delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in Vienna with a firm determination to reach an agreement and is looking forward to fruitful talks,鈥� Said Khatibzadeh told reporters.
鈥淭he government has shown its willingness and seriousness by sending a quality team known to all. If the other side shows the same willingness, we will be on the right track to reach an agreement.鈥�
The landmark 2015 agreement offered a lifting of some of the array of economic sanctions Iran had been under, in return for strict curbs on its nuclear program.
But the deal began falling apart in 2018 when then US president Donald Trump pulled out and began reinstating sanctions.
The following year, Iran retaliated by starting to exceed the limits on its nuclear activity laid down in the deal.
Since the last Vienna talks were paused in June, the ultraconservative President Ebrahim Raisi has taken over, and his new government for several months ignored appeals to restart the talks.
According to local media, the Iranian delegation now in Vienna, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri, has been greatly expanded for the new round of negotiations.
鈥淚f the United States comes to Vienna with the determination to break the deadlock and overcome the problems on which we did not agree in previous rounds, the path of dialogue will certainly be easier,鈥� said Khatibzadeh.
Khatibzadeh signalled Iran鈥檚 distrust of longtime foe the United States.
鈥淲e are looking for practical verification of the implementation of American commitments under the nuclear agreement,鈥� he said, adding that was one of their 鈥渕ain focuses in continuing the talks.鈥�
Talks are to resume between Iran and the other parties Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, while the United States is set to participate indirectly.
鈥淲ith serious will, real determination and good faith, we hope to be able to take steps to reach an agreement as soon as possible to lift the sanctions, provided that the other parties come to Vienna with a change of approach,鈥� said Khatibzadeh.
鈥淚f that happens, the results can be announced quickly.鈥�
Iran has in recent months restricted the activities of inspectors from UN watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Its head Rafael Grossi visited Tehran last week, but said on his return that 鈥渘o progress鈥� had been made on the issues he raised.
Khatibzadeh, asked about the visit, said: 鈥淕ood talks took place at different levels. These talks remained unfinished because we did not reach agreement on some words and concepts that are important to both sides, but the terms of the agreement were almost finalized.鈥�
He added that the Iranian delegation would have meetings with the Vienna-based IAEA in coming days 鈥渞egarding the finalization of the text鈥� and that 鈥渞elations between the two sides will continue at different levels.鈥�
The Iranian spokesman also criticized Britain after its Foreign Secretary Liz Truss pledged in a newspaper article co-written with Israel鈥檚 Yair Lapid to work 鈥渘ight and day鈥� to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.
鈥淵ou will find that at least some European countries are not coming to Vienna with the necessary will to lift sanctions,鈥� Khatibzadeh said.
鈥淭his shows that not only are some of these countries not serious, but they want to prolong the talks and delay the lifting of sanctions.鈥�