EU proposes "final text" for reviving Iran nuclear deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) shakes hands with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, on June 25, 2022. (Iranian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

The European Union on Monday put forward a final text of the draft decision on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, while awaiting political decisions from participants of the Vienna talks.

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Sunday that the IAEA should completely resolve the remaining safeguards issues "through technical channels."

VIENNA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The European Union on Monday put forward a final text of the draft decision on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, while awaiting political decisions from participants of the Vienna talks.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted on Monday that "What can be negotiated has been negotiated, and it's now in a final text."

"However, behind every technical issue and every paragraph lies a political decision that needs to be taken in the capitals. If these answers are positive, then we can sign this deal," he added.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna and chief negotiator to the Iran nuclear talks, said on Twitter that "the participants in the Vienna talks now need to decide if the draft is acceptable for them. In case of no objection, the nuclear deal will be restored."

Wang Qun, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna and chief negotiator, on Monday urged the United States to make immediate political decisions to help promote an early agreement in the Iran nuclear talks.

The Vienna talks on reviving the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), resumed in the Austrian capital last week after a five-month hiatus.

Photo taken on Dec. 17, 2021 shows a meeting of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria. (EU Delegation in Vienna/Handout via Xinhua)

A key outstanding issue during this round of the talks is reportedly Iran's nuclear safeguards issues. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), together with the United States and Europe, have insisted that Iran failed to provide credible explanations for uranium traces found at its undeclared sites. However, Iran has repeatedly said that the IAEA's reports are "political" and this case should be closed with the revival of the JCPOA.

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Sunday that the IAEA should completely resolve the remaining safeguards issues "through technical channels."

Iran signed the nuclear deal with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of U.S.-led sanctions. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact.

The marathon talks on reviving the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna, but were suspended in March this year due to political differences between Tehran and Washington.

Photo taken on March 11, 2022 shows an exterior view of the Palais Coburg hotel, the venue for Iran nuclear talks, in Vienna, Austria. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)