FM: US goal of resolution to gain political concession in Vienna talks

Tehran, IRNA - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a telephone conversation with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein on Thursday said that the US goal of the resolution in the IAEA Board of Governors (BoG) is to gain political concessions at the negotiating table in Vienna talks. During the telephone conversation on Thursday, Amirabdollahian and Hussein discussed mutual and regional interests plus removal of sanctions. Referring to the Vienna talks to lift sanctions, Amirabdollahian said that the exchange of messages between Iran and the US continued through the EU representative, but suddenly the White House released the idea of issuing a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which aims to make political concessions at the negotiating table. He said that Iran has always called on the West to follow the path of diplomacy, adding that a few days before the recent meeting of the IAEA, despite a political plan for continuing talks for reaching a final agreement that was initiated by Iran, the US destructive behavior at the IAEA caused Iranians reactions to increase its peaceful nuclear activity within the framework of Iranian Parliament (Majlis). Iranian top diplomat highlighted that Iran sees diplomacy as the best way to reach a good, strong, and lasting agreement, but in the face of bullying behavior, Iran's reaction is based on an proportionate response. Elsewhere in his remarks, Amirabdollahian noted that Iran sees the latest round of Tehran-Riyadh talks in Baghdad as positive, and welcomes the implementation of the results of the bilateral talks. Pointing to the Iraqi minister's recent visit to Tehran and the agreements made on the ground on pilgrimage of Iranian pilgrims in the near future, including during Arbaeen rituals, he called it important and expressed hope that the reopening of ground borders to be accelerated. Hussein, for his part, expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia and noted that the Iraqi government's will is facilitating this issue until direct talks between the foreign ministers of the two states. He stressed Iraq's readiness to implement agreements on the reopening of land borders for the pilgrims, including during Arbaeen rituals. Referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he reiterated that Iraq has always encouraged the US and Western sides to solve problems and lift sanctions. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish