TEHRAN(Bazaar) –Marc Finaud, Associate Fellow at the GCSP at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), says there were already indirect talks between Iran and the US mediated by Oman and Qatar.
He adds that “It would not be surprising that such contacts continue after the US-Iran agreement on prisoner exchange and Iranian asset release.”
Following is the full text of interview:
Q: Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has announced that there will be a consultation on the nuclear issue on the sidelines of the UN meeting and a meeting will be held in this regard. What is your assessment of this meeting and is it possible that America will also be present in it?
A: It is not clear whether the meeting is planned in the margins of the next General Conference of the IAEA or the UN General Assembly. There were already indirect talks between Iran and the US mediated by Oman and Qatar. It would not be surprising that such contacts continue after the US-Iran agreement on prisoner exchange and Iranian asset release. Bilateral discussions between Washington and Tehran are the only effective way to make progress on the nuclear file.
Q: French President Emmanuel Macron announced that we want to revive the Iran nuclear deal. Does this position have anything to do with Amir Abdullahian's position?
A: France, as one of the initiators and partners of the JCPOA, has always searched for means of restoring the agreement after Trump's withdrawal and Iran's retaliatory measures. As part of the E3/EU, it has been contributing to the Vienna talks and more recent efforts.
Q: The spokesperson of Iran's Foreign Ministry has also announced that if the issue of receiving Iranian money is properly resolved, if America returns to its obligations, Iran is also willing to cooperate in the nuclear field. Do you think this process will be completed before the start of the UN session?
A: It is always difficult to predict exactly the outcome of ongoing talks, but the US expectation was clearly that the agreed prisoner exchange and asset release would help building the minimum confidence required for moving forward with the nuclear file and facilitate the lifting of US sanctions.
Q: Regarding the visit of the official of the International Atomic Energy Agency from Iran, what is your assessment of his report and what effect will his report have on the process of nuclear negotiations?
A: The IAEA is continuing its efforts to ensure Iran's compliance with its obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and the JCPOA and to lift any doubts regarding all inspected sites. The better Iran cooperates with the IAEA, the faster and better the existing probes can be terminated. Such an outcome can only positively influence the prospects of restoration of the JCPOA.
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