Iran does not expect change in US behavior following talks: Araqchi

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi says Iran does not expect a change in the behavior of the United States following the successful conclusion of the talks between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries, except in the area of Iran’s nuclear program.

Speaking during a press conference in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Wednesday, Araqchi said the US, likewise, should expect no change in the policies of the Islamic Republic.

He said the talks between Iran and the P5+1 were exclusively limited to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

The deputy foreign minister said, however, that upon the decision of high-ranking Iranian officials, Iran may in the future engage in negotiations on specific topics with the US. He said that no prediction can be made about that issue at the moment.

Issues of the past

Answering a question about the settlement of the issue of the so-called possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program, Araqchi expressed confidence that the issue can be rationally resolved and through keeping both sides’ concerns in mind.

He further referred to a recent “roadmap” devised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to settle issues, and said the so-called PMD and the disagreement over Parchin military site will be addressed through the mechanism of the roadmap.

Iran, missiles & Resolution 2231 (2015)

The senior Iranian diplomat further said that Resolution 2231 (2015) approved by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday does not cover the delivery of S-300 missile system to Iran by Russia.

“The weapons the sales of which to Iran are restricted [based on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)] are seven items, not including defensive items such as S-300,” he said.

‘No more than 10 years’

Araqchi also downplayed the declared intention of the US to extend the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program from the 10 years agreed in the JCPOA to 15 years.

“This is not possible. The UNSC resolution approved two days ago (Resolution 2231) was absolutely clear” on the date the agreement ends, adding, “There is no ambiguity over that.”

“Intending to propose a new resolution after 10 years and having the issue of reversibility extended for several years is a demand they have voiced; in our viewpoint, however, it has no credibility and is not part of the agreement. Thus, any date beyond 10 years is out of question,” Araqchi said.

In his opening remarks before the Q&A began, Araqchi thanked Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for his guidance and support in the course of the negotiations that led to the conclusion of the JCPOA.

Iran and the P5+1 countries – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany – succeeded in finalizing the text of JCPOA in Vienna on July 14 after 18 days of intense negotiations and all-nighters that capped around 23 months of talks between Iran and the six world powers.

Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all economic and financial bans, against the Islamic Republic.

The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously endorsed a draft resolution turning the JCPOA into international law. All 15 members of the body voted for the draft UN resolution in New York, setting the stage for the lifting of the Security Council sanctions against Iran.

On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country’s military capabilities, including development of its ballistic missiles, are solely meant for defense as they have not been designed to carry nuclear warheads, and those capabilities are outside the scope of Resolution 2231 and its annexes.