‘Nothing has changed’

Tehran yesterday retreated its stance that the United States must first lift sanctions on Iran if it wants to talk about salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javaf Zarif saying "nothing has changed" since President Joe Biden took power from his predecessor Donald Trump. 

Biden's administration said last week it was ready to talk to Iran about both nations returning to the accord, but ruled out lifting of sanctions before talks, which aimed to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Iran also said it had held "fruitful discussions" with UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi in Tehran, ahead of a deadline when it is set to restrict the agency's inspections unless the United States lifts painful sanctions.

Grossi's visit comes amid stepped-up efforts between US President Joe Biden's administration, European powers and Iran to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal that has been on the brink of collapse since Trump withdrew from it.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javaf Zarif, who was to later meet Grossi, signalled that the Islamic republic wants to avoid an "impasse" but also warned that it could step further away from its commitments if Washington does not lift the sanctions.

Grossi was due to hold a press conference when he returns to Vienna in the evening.

Iran's conservative-dominated parliament months ago demanded that, if the US does not lift sanctions by Feb 23, Iran suspend some IAEA inspections.

Tehran has repeatedly said it is ready to return to its nuclear commitments, on the condition that Washington makes the first move by lifting the sanctions that have heaped economic pain on Iran.

Zarif said that, from Iran's point of view, "nothing has changed" as the Biden administration had so far followed the same Iran policy as his predecessor' 'maximum pressure' campaign.

If sanctions were not lifted, the stockpile of "enriched uranium will increase," he said, stressing that Tehran has the right within the deal to stop observing commitments "totally or partially" if the other parties fail to honour theirs.

"We are still in the partial phase," Zarif said. "We can be total."

Zarif also stressed that "there won't be any negotiations, period. Not before or after" the US returns to the deal.