Western Diplomats, Media Launch Psychological Operations against Vienna Talks

Reuters quoted European diplomats as claiming that 70 to 80 percent of the draft agreement has been written in the last two days in Vienna.

Informed sources close to the Iranian negotiating team dismissed the report, saying that such remarks are not supported at all by facts and a long way still remains until resolution of the remaining issues.

Deputy foreign policy chief of the European Union Enrique Mora had also said that the current talks in Vienna are continuation of the previous 6 rounds of negotiations.

His comments were dismissed immediately by Iran’s top negotiator Ali Baqeri Kani.

The previous rounds of Vienna talks were only a “draft”, Baqeri Kani told reporters after the first meeting with representatives of the Group 4+1 (China, Russia, Britain and France plus Germany) in Vienna on Monday.

“Nothing is agreed on unless everything has been agreed on,” he added.

“The drafts are subject to negotiation. Therefore nothing is agreed on unless everything has been agreed upon.”

It seems that the western media and diplomats have united to create a psychological atmosphere which would blame Iran in case of failure in reaching an agreement in Vienna.

Observers believe that this is a masterminded plan to increase pressure on the Iranian negotiating team to give up its main demand of removing the cruel sanctions and accept demands raised by the European allies of the US in a short period of time.

The Iranian delegation participating in the Vienna talks underlined on Tuesday that the removal of all sanctions is a prerequisite for Washington to return to the nuclear deal, adding that Iran is not in an emergency situation to accept any agreement.

Meantime, the Iranian delegation is trying to keep a positive atmosphere prevailing over the talks, despite the opposite parties’ blame-game efforts.

A source in the negotiating team said the opening session of talks between Iran and the Group 4+1 on lifting sanctions was held in a “constructive, professional and straight” atmosphere.

The Iranian delegation stressed that until a decision on the sanctions, it will not be possible to decide on other issues.

It was emphasized that as long as the sanctions red list is in place, the green light for the US return to the agreement will not be turned on.

Sources in the talks said Russia and China fully supported the positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Regarding the documents resulted from the previous 6 rounds of negotiations, the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran stressed that these documents are only a draft and although Iran does not stand in rejection of all of them, the draft is basically changeable and negotiable; therefore the delegation of the Islamic Republic Iran intends to submit its views and proposals on previous texts and put new drafts on the table too.

It was emphasized that until everything is agreed, nothing will be agreed upon.

The former US president discarded a complete and final agreement. The current president is expected to be at least as bold as his predecessor in accepting the country’s undertakings.

It was emphasized that only the complete removal of sanctions and end of maximum pressure with all its means can lead to the US return to the agreement.

It was stressed that the negotiations should determine the fate of the sanctions removal in a “sufficient, accurate and clear” way and that Iran will continue its compensatory measures until the removal of sanctions.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has always carefully and obsessively demonstrated adherence to its undertakings in practice, and is now fully prepared and determined to reach a “fair agreement that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Iranian people”. But if the US wants to play a sanctions game with Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond appropriately to this game.

It was noted that throughout the years of oppressive sanctions, the Islamic Republic of Iran has learned how to confront the sanctions and does not see itself in a time urgency to reach an agreement.

The US unilaterally abandoned the multilateral nuclear deal in 2018 despite Iran’s full compliance with its nuclear undertakings, as repeatedly certified by the UN nuclear agency. The US then unleashed a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, which practically deprived the country of all of the deal’s economic benefits.

Envoys from Iran and the remaining signatories to the JCPOA – Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China – ended the first meeting of the seventh round of discussions in Vienna on Monday. The negotiations were paused in June, when Iran held its presidential election. Since then, the new Iranian administration has been reviewing the details of the six rounds of discussions held under the previous administration.

Iran has already clarified that the talks will not focus on nuclear issues, noting that those issues were already been resolved through negotiations, which led to the conclusion of the JCPOA.

Iran says it will not settle for anything less than removal of all US sanctions at once and in a verifiable manner. Tehran has also called on the other parties to make the most of the occasion, warning that the window of opportunity will not remain open indefinitely.