The United States and European countries have taken a step towards de-escalation with Iran over the nuclear file, while Tehran has stressed that it will not return to negotiate again on the file.
The Europeans decided to abandon the presentation of a draft resolution criticizing Iran in the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in an effort to win Tehran to sit at the negotiating table with the United States.
This project, which was supported by Germany, France and Britain, backed by the United States, condemned Iran's decision to reduce inspections related to its nuclear program.
A French source said that the concerned countries decided to suspend the decision late on Wednesday, citing "encouraging signs" on the part of the Iranians.
What Washington wants
Washington welcomed the results of the meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency on the Iranian nuclear file, and said that Britain, France and Germany abandoned a draft resolution to condemn Tehran in the agency came with US support.
With the decline in tension following this step, the State Department said that it looks with great interest to Iran's desire to participate in a concrete negotiation process, but at the same time confirmed that the United States is serious about setting restrictions that prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The ministry indicated that it had made an offer accepted by the Europeans to engage in negotiations with the Iranians within the framework of the 5 + 1 group.
The United States said in a statement to the IAEA board of governors meeting that Tehran should completely and reliably dispel the agency’s concerns about uranium particles.
It believed that Iran had an opportunity to demonstrate the necessary cooperation before the next meeting of the Council.
The statement added that Washington will closely monitor the situation and, like all members of the agency's board of governors, evaluate their views on next steps based on the Iranian position.
For his part, IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi said that Iran welcomed further efforts to clarify the outstanding issues regarding its nuclear file.
Grossi said in a press conference held in the Austrian capital Vienna (the headquarters of the agency) that Iran had accepted an initiative to participate in specific and regular efforts to clarify pending matters, such as uranium particles that were found in old Iranian facilities.
He added that technical meetings in this regard will begin in Iran at the beginning of next April.
Iran's demands
In the same context, the Wall Street Journal quoted diplomats as saying that Tehran wants to agree on prior steps with Washington to return to the nuclear deal.
The same sources said that Iran wants to make sure that any meeting in this regard will result in initial steps to ease the sanctions imposed on it.
Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the diplomatic moves led to the withdrawal of the draft resolution condemning Iran in the agency.
She expressed her hope that all parties would benefit from this opportunity to cooperate and ensure the implementation of the nuclear agreement by all.
It believed that this development will preserve diplomacy and create conditions for the return of all parties to their commitments.
In the same context, Iran's representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kazem Gharib Abadi, said that "a ray of hope looms on the horizon" thanks to the intensive consultations to avoid any unnecessary tension, as he put it.
However, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the path for the United States to return to the nuclear agreement is clear, and that there is no need to re-negotiate again if the will of the US administration is available.
Rouhani added in his statements - during the 14th summit meeting of the leaders of the Economic Cooperation Organization, which was held via video - that his country would respond to any step by the United States with an equivalent step.
He stressed that Washington violated the agreement, and that it should return to it with practical steps, and lift all sanctions.
On Twitter, Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Jawad wrote, "They are committed to the nuclear agreement and we will not return to negotiate it."
Zarif called for "what the concerned parties did between 2003 and 2012 to no avail" and to start implementing the nuclear agreement.
Other parties
In the same context, the Qatar News Agency reported that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani received a phone call from the US special envoy to Iran, during which they reviewed bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries, and the latest developments in the region, especially in Iran.
For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that ending the unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran and returning all parties to the nuclear agreement will contribute to achieving prosperity and economic stability in the region.
As for Russia's delegate to the agency, Mikhail Ulyanov, he said that the European countries withdrew their decision against Iran to prevent escalation, adding that now is the time for diplomacy.