In this file photo dated March 24, 2022, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, speaks during a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib in Beirut, Lebanon. (BILAL HUSSEIN / AP)
TEHRAN – The Iranian foreign minister said on Thursday that Iran is "carefully and rapidly" preparing an answer to the US responses to its viewpoints on the European Union's draft of a potential nuclear agreement, according to the Foreign Ministry's website.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone call with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in which the two sides also discussed issues of mutual interest.
Iran has proved its goodwill and seriousness for reaching a "robust and lasting" nuclear agreement, Amir-Abdollahian noted.
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The Iranian top diplomat also said Iran's relations with neighbors are given priority in the foreign policy of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
Iran has proved its goodwill and seriousness for reaching a "robust and lasting" nuclear agreement, Iran's Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian noted
For his part, the UAE foreign minister expressed the UAE's willingness to enhance economic and trade cooperation with Iran.
Iran and the United States are indirectly exchanging views about a recent EU proposal aimed at resolving the outstanding issues on the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. However, former US 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.
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The talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington.
The latest round of the nuclear talks was held in the Austrian capital in early August after a five-month hiatus. On Aug 8, the EU put forward a "final text" of the draft decision on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.
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