Iran says won’t give concessions beyond JCPOA framework

Iran’s administration has rejected the possibility of giving concessions beyond those offered within the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal with major world states, as the diplomatic process continues in Vienna on the revival of the troubled agreement.

Ali Rabiei, the administration’s spokesman, made the remarks during an online media briefing in Tehran on Tuesday, the same day that the parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) are set to hold a new round of talks on Washington’s removal of anti-Iran sanctions and Tehran’s reversal of its remedial measures.

Asked whether the negotiators have reached a consensus regarding the drafting issue and whether Iran is hopeful about a swift sanctions removal, he replied, “Technically, it is possible to lift all the sanctions that violate the JCPOA and fully revive the agreement in the short term. We hope to achieve the desired outcome through constructive negotiations.”

“We are in no hurry to reclaim our obvious rights in the agreement and we are not willing to give any concessions beyond the framework of the JCPOA,” he added.

Former US President Donald Trump abandoned the JCPOA three years after its conclusion and unleashed what his team called a “maximum pressure" campaign with the stated objective of forcing Iran to negotiate “a better agreement.”

The Islamic Republic refused to bow down to the pressure and adopted instead a “maximum resistance” policy, which includes economic measures to weather the bans as well as reducing Tehran's compliance with the JCPOA.

Turmp’s successor, Joe Biden, has claimed that his administration is willing to rejoin the JCPOA, but conditioned the move to Tehran’s full compliance. 

Tehran says Washington is the side which abandoned the JCPOA and thus, it has to take the first step to unconditionally remove all its sanctions on Iran in a verifiable manner, given its long record of not playing by the rules. 

“Contrary to some claims, the US administration can return, in a short time, to the JCPOA obligations, which it has violated, and we can quickly verify [the process] and … will swiftly return to our commitments,” Rabiei stressed.

Asked about the latest status of the Vienna talks, he quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s top negotiator, as saying that the Islamic Republic is not interested in revitalizing the JCPOA through a step-by-step plan and follows the policy stated by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in this regard.

“The JCPOA strengthened national self-confidence and belief in domestic capability to reclaim the rights of the people. It highlighted the fact that it is possible to reclaim rights from the international community and reserve the right to engage in peaceful nuclear activities,” he said.

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