Iran says nuclear deal ‘within reach’ if the West shows goodwill

TEHRAN/JERUSALEM: Iran’s top diplomat said on Thursday that an agreement to revive his country’s nuclear deal with world powers was “within reach” but it depended on the goodwill of the West. The ball is now in Washington’s court, the Islamic republic said. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-abdollahian said on Twitter that negotiations in Vienna were “proceeding with seriousness” and the removal of sanctions was a “fundamental priority”. The talks resumed on Monday after Iran paused them in June following the election of President Ebrahim Raisi.

In his tweet, the foreign minister said experts’ talks were continuing and that he was in daily contact with his deputy and lead negotiator, Ali Bagheri.

“Good deal within reach if the West shows goodwill. We seek rational, sober and resultoriented dialogue,” said Amirabdollahian.

Bagheri told reporters in Vienna on Thursday that Iran has submitted draft proposals on the lifting of sanctions and Tehran’s nuclear commitments. “We have given them two proposed drafts... Of course they must consult the texts we gave them,” he said.

Also, Israel on Thursday urged world powers to halt nuclear talks with Iran immediately, citing a UN watchdog’s announcement that Tehran has started producing enriched uranium with more advanced centrifuges. “Iran is carrying out nuclear blackmail as a negotiating tactic, and this should be answered by the immediate halt to negotiations and the implementation of tough steps by the world powers,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office quoted him as saying in a call with US secretary of state Antony Blinken.

Meanwhile, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force has warned the US its “teeth will be crushed” if Washington makes a move against Tehran. “This nation’s power and capacity ... has reached such a level that if you (US) make the slightest move, your teeth will be crushed in your mouth,” Quds force chief Esmail Ghaani said.