Iran won’t fall into trap of factitious deadlines: Source close to negotiation team

A source close to Iran’s negotiation team in Vienna talks says the country would not fall into the trap of “factitious deadlines” that could be set by the 2015 deal’s other members.

Quoted by IRNA on Sunday, the source said the Iranian team sought to stage a “powerful and well-prepared” presence in the talks, and “would stay in the Austrian capital as long as it is needed to.”

The remarks came a day after the Iranian negotiation team is to travel to the city for an eighth round of talks aimed at removal of the United States’ illegal and inhumane sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The US returned the coercive economic measures in 2018 after ditching the deal.

The previous rounds of the talks featured discussion about “general issues,” the source said, adding that the upcoming talks was expected to focus on contents of a potential agreement.

“If the opposite side is [likewise] prepared to discuss the contents, we can [all] move forward,” the source noted.

“Iran is committed to conclusion of a good agreement in the shortest possible time space, but no factitious deadlines [that could be set by the counterparty] would serve to change the country’s redlines,” it said, asserting, “There is no emergency situation for us in the talks.”

The progress that was made concerning the nuclear issues during the previous round of the talks indicates Iran’s seriousness about interaction, the source pointed out, adding, “Now, it is the opposite sides’ turn to show their good will as regards the issue of the sanctions.”