Iran FM reaffirms red lines set for Vienna nuclear talks

Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has reaffirmed Iran’s red lines such as lifting sanctions “to the maximum,” for reaching an agreement in the nuclear talks in Vienna, the Iranian Students’ News Agency has reported.

Abdollahian made the statement during his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on Thursday, highlighting Iran’s determination to defend the red lines set for the nuclear talks to safeguard its interests, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We are are optimistic and serious about the outcome of the Vienna talks. In our view, the agreement should be such that lifting of sanctions is done to the maximum,” he told Mikati.

“We want the agreements to be in a way that benefits the region and expands our good relations with the countries of the region,” the Iranian top diplomat said.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Prime Minister expressed hope for the success of the talks in the Austrian capital, agreeing that a positive deal would benefit the region, including Lebanon.

Abdollahian expressed the same point of view in another meeting with Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri during his visit to Lebanon, according to Tasnim news agency.

Iran signed a landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2015. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and the remaining parties to the deal, namely Russia, China, France, Britain, and Germany, with the US indirectly involved, in a bid to revive the deal.