Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, believes that Iran's refusal of the EU proposal to hold informal diplomatic consultations with the US on the nuclear deal is not its last word. The Russian diplomat also called on participants in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program to refrain from taking irresponsible steps.
"I think this is not Iran's last word. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the refusal to participate in the informal consultations was caused by the inflexible positions of some states. Much depends on how the Iranian nuclear dossier will be reviewed at the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, which begins today," Ulyanov commented on Twitter.
The Russian Ambassador also called Iran's invitation to such consultations a good thing, but it is incompatible with the threat of an "unwarranted resolution by the IAEA Board of Governors in a few days."
"At this stage, we call on our JCPOA partners and other governors at the IAEA to be prudent and refrain from inflexible and irresponsible steps that could undermine the prospects for a full restoration of the JCPOA in the near future through business negotiations," Ulyanov stressed.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Sunday that the Iranian side does not consider it necessary in the current circumstances to hold a meeting proposed by the EU on the nuclear deal involving the United States. Khatibzadeh added that "there has been no change in Washington's approach at the moment."
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that Iranian authorities rejected the EU proposal to hold direct diplomatic contacts with the US on Tehran's nuclear program. The Iranian side demanded that the US first provide guarantees "to lift some sanctions" from Iran after the meeting, the Journal's sources said. The US has expressed its willingness to participate in the consultations but has not agreed to meet the Iranian side's demands for sanctions.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Mikhail Metzel / TASS
Based on materials from TASS