Iran says ‘ball in US court’ for revival of nuclear deal

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Reuters
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Web Desk
Irans foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh speaks to media during a press conference in Tehran on November 15, 2021.—AFP
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh speaks to media during a press conference in Tehran on November 15, 2021.—AFP 

  • Iran says revival of Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal depends on Washington.
  • Expects talks to save pact will resume soon after top EU diplomat's trip.
  • FM says country is prepared to "receive economic benefits of 2015 accord."


DUBAI: Iran said on Monday that the revival of Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers depends on Washington, amid expectations that talks to save the pact will resume soon after the top EU diplomat's trip to the Islamic Republic.

"The ball is in Washington's court now," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh told a weekly televised news conference.

Al Arabiya News reported that top Iranian security official Ali Shamkhani had said in a meeting with the EU’s top diplomat that Tehran plans to continue develoiping its nuclear program.

He said that the developments would continue until the West changes its "illegal behaviour", Al Arabiya quoted Iranian state news agency IRNA.

“Iran’s retaliatory actions in the nuclear sector are merely legal and rational responses to US unilateralism and European inaction and will continue as long as the West’s illegal practices are not changed,” Al Arabiya quoted Shamkhani as saying.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said that the country was prepared to resume talks and "receive the economic benefits of the 2015 accord."

The talks seemed close in March but were laid off again after Tehran insisted that Washington remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from the US Foreign Terrorist Organization list.