The Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the timing is not appropriate to accept the European proposal regarding a meeting of the nuclear agreement with the participation of Washington, while the latter expressed its disappointment with Tehran's decision.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry indicated that Tehran has not witnessed a change in the policies of US President Joe Biden, and that the maximum pressure continues without guarantees regarding Washington’s implementation of its pledges.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Tehran adopts a step-for-step policy, and will respond to any negative positions from the other side as appropriate, as it puts it.
A senior Iranian official had told Al-Jazeera that his country would not negotiate before Washington returned to the nuclear agreement, and called on the United States to lift sanctions before it talks about proposals to negotiate the agreement.
The Iranian official added that Washington cannot return to negotiation before compensating for the losses of the previous stage.
The Iranian official said that former President Donald Trump had re-imposed sanctions on 800 Iranian entities and individuals, and the Biden administration should lift these sanctions before anything else.
He also called on Washington to abide by its commitments in the nuclear agreement, stressing that this does not require proposals and mediation, as he put it.
Trump, who adopted a policy of "maximum pressure" against the Islamic Republic, decided in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw his country from the agreement between Iran and the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany, which was concluded in 2015, and re-impose harsh sanctions on Iran, which responded by backing away from the implementation of many of its obligations. Under the agreement.
An American disappointment
For its part, the White House said it was disappointed by Iran's response to the call for talks.
He made clear that the US administration is ready to return to engage in diplomacy with the aim of achieving a reciprocal return on the nuclear deal's obligations.
The White House added that it would consult with Washington's partners in the (5 + 1) group on the best way forward.
In light of the US-Iranian rivalry, the European Union’s political director, Enrique Mora, in February proposed an informal meeting with the participation of all parties to the agreement.
This was welcomed by Washington.
But the Biden administration warned Tehran on Wednesday that this proposal would not be on the table indefinitely.
"Our patience has limits," said State Department spokesman Ned Price, stressing the possibility of returning to the imposition of sanctions.
In the same context, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, said that his country would respond appropriately to any decision issued against it at the meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency scheduled for early March.
And it was news reports that the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency would adopt a decision against Iran after stopping the work of the additional supplement.