Iran says to deliver ‘final’ nuclear talks proposal

TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran will deliver its "final" proposal later on Monday on talks to revive its 2015 nuclear accord with world powers, after Washington had accepted key demands.

"The American side has verbally accepted the two demands" from Iran, said Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, as quoted by state news agency IRNA, without specifying what the demands were.

"We will send our final proposals in writing by midnight (1930 GMT)" on Monday, he added. "If our opinion is accepted, we are ready to conclude and announce the accord at a meeting of foreign ministers."

IRNA said on Friday that Iran may accept a final compromise worked out in Vienna to save the landmark 2015 deal, which aimed to curb Iran’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. The deal has been moribund since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States under then president Donald Trump.

The major powers are awaiting Tehran’s response to a proposal submitted on July 26 by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. An unidentified Iranian diplomat said, according to IRNA, that "the European Union’s proposals are acceptable provided that they provide assurances to Iran on various points, related to sanctions and safeguards" as well as pending issues with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran and Russia, as well as the United States indirectly, resumed talks on the nuclear accord earlier in August after a months-long hiatus. The EU-coordinated negotiations to revive the so-called JCPOA deal began in April 2021 before coming to a standstill in March.

The EU said last Tuesday it expected Tehran and Washington to "very quickly" respond to the "final" text aimed at salvaging the deal. Amir-Abdollahian said that, after the lengthy negotiations, "what counts for us is verification" that sanctions are lifted in practise.