SINCE early December 2021, Vienna has been host to high-level negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and the EU, in an effort to avert a devastating new war in the Middle East. 

The negotiations to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) began last April but halted at the sixth round in June due to the presidential elections in Iran and the subsequent change of administration.  

Iran has opposed the official participation of the US delegation — headed by Joe Biden’s special envoy on Iran, Robert Malley — in the negotiations, though it essentially wants the immediate removal of crippling US sanctions. 

Under the 2015 JCPOA, the Obama administration agreed to remove economic sanctions on Iran in return for the latter’s guarantee that it would keep the enrichment of uranium below 3.67 per cent purity.

A year after the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, plunging the country into a deep economic crisis, the Iranian regime began to suspend some of its commitments — especially after other signatories to the agreement failed to counter the effects of the reimposed sanctions.

The Iranian regime is acutely conscious of the growing popular unrest in the country stemming from sanctions which have seen factories and industrial complexes folding, unemployment skyrocketing and a rapid severe devaluation in the national currency. 

Thus the regime has begun to moderate its demands and preconditions to ensure the current negotiations do not collapse.  

The US, while stating that it is giving diplomacy another chance, continues to cautiously monitor the progress of the indirect negotiations (as Iran and the US do not have formal diplomatic relations) mindful that Iran has reportedly reached 60 per cent uranium enrichment already.  

Since Tuesday, a Saudi delegation has also been present in Vienna and the South Korean deputy foreign minister has also joined the negotiations. 

South Korea is in possession of nearly $10 billion in Iranian assets frozen because of the sanctions. The Saudis have expressed concern about the increasing possibility of Iran raising uranium enrichment levels to the point of military-weapon usage.  

Russia has taken a more active role on the current negotiations to represent Iran’s interests. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s envoy at the Vienna talks, stated that the traditional meeting of JCPOA members was held in the presence of the US delegation without the participation of Iran. 

“We had a targeted discussion on one of the most difficult issues on the agenda of the Vienna talks,” Ulyanov emphasised.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdullahian stated if the Western partners in the negotiations are serious in their intentions, then it would be possible to reach a good agreement.

“We want the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran by Trump, especially those that run counter to the nuclear deal,” Abdullahian said.

He added: “We want guarantees that include not imposing new sanctions and not returning the current sanctions after they are lifted.”

Regarding the recent talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Abdullahian said: “Our dialogue with Saudi Arabia is positive and constructive and we are ready to resume relations at any time […] Our representatives in the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation will return to Jeddah and this is a positive step.”

Regarding the threats of the Israeli government, the Iranian Foreign Minister also stated: “The threats of the zionist regime are not new and this regime [Israel] is in a situation where it is unable to implement them.”

Jamshid Ahmadi is assistant secretary of the Committee for the Defence of the Iranian People’s Rights (Codir).