Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Gives Nuclear Deal Update

SAEED KHATIBZADEH, SPOKESMAN, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: Good to be with you, Christiane. Actually, the moves in Vienna are very — in the right direction. There were positive moves that all the 4+1 made in Vienna. Vienna talks showed that progress is possible. And the positive momentum which has been created by 4+1 and Iran can be sustained if the United States is ready to fulfill its obligation under the resolution, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. At the same time, we are in a delicate situation. It seems that there are there are those inside the current United States administration that are much more committed to Trump’s sanction than President Obama’s nuclear deal. To me, it’s a political decision that President Biden should make. Does he actually want to risk the nuclear deal signed by the United States when he was the vice president, in favor of Trump’s failed legacy and sanctions, or he’s actually trying to depart from this failure?

AMANPOUR: Mr. Khatibzadeh, can I just ask you, from Iran’s point of view, before we get into sanctions and the modalities of whether this agreement can be revived with the U.S. participation, what exactly does Iran want? Why is it a good deal, from the perspective of the president, the foreign minister, and why do you all think you should get back into the deal or that the deal should be revived?

KHATIBZADEH: Iran has been always crystal clear on the JCPOA. It was very tough negotiations that P4 — P5+1 then, plus Iran and the E.U., went through. And after we signed, we sealed, and we tried to implement that, from then, Iran has been always consistent in terms of elaborating that everybody should be in full compliance.