In this Nov 15, 2021 photo, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh speaks to media during a press conference in Tehran, Iran. (PHOTO / AFP)
TEHRAN – Iran urged the United States on Monday to return to the nuclear talks in Vienna for "signing an agreement" on the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal, official news agency IRNA reported.
Iran is "moving in the direction of diplomacy" and ready to reach a "good, lasting and effective" agreement, Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman of the Iranian foreign ministry, told a weekly press conference.
Criticizing the US double standard policy, Khatibzadeh said the Americans have been continuing former President Donald Trump's policies despite their claim to try to fix them.
"We don't know whether to believe in their words or in their actions as they are still continuing Trump's path," he said.
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Speaking of an anti-Iran resolution adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in early June, Khatibzadeh noted that Iran has been striving to push forward the negotiations since the beginning of the Vienna talks in April 2021, despite the US noncooperation and obstructionism.
We don't know whether to believe in their words or in their actions as they are still continuing Trump's path.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, Spokesman, Foreign Ministry, Iran
Prior to the meeting of the Board of Governors of the IAEA over the anti-Iran resolution, Iran had given its initiative and roadmap to the United States through the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the Iranian spokesman explained.
Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with the world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of the US-led sanctions. However, Trump pulled Washington out of the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.
Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties to revive the deal.
However, the talks have been suspended since March when it was believed to be only a step away from a final agreement, raising deep concerns about their prospect.
ALSO READ: IAEA resolution casts shadow on Iran nuke deal
In early June, the IAEA's Board of Governors adopted an anti-Iran resolution proposed by the United States and its European allies, accusing Iran of noncooperation.
In reaction to the resolution, Iran has shut off a number of the IAEA's surveillance cameras at its nuclear sites.