For the second day, the eighth round of Vienna talks to revive the Iranian nuclear agreement continued, and while Russia talked about making progress, Tehran considered that an agreement could be reached in a short time if sanctions were lifted.

Talks are taking place between Iran and the countries that are still part of the nuclear agreement (France, Britain, Germany, Russia, and China), while the United States is indirectly participating.

The talks aim to lift US sanctions on Tehran and Iran's commitment to its nuclear commitments, as well as guarantees that Washington will not withdraw from the agreement again in the event of a return to it.

According to the Russian envoy to Iran's nuclear talks in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, the working group has made "indisputable" progress.

"The lifting of sanctions is actively being discussed in the indirect talks," Ulyanov said - in a tweet on Twitter today, Tuesday.

For his part, European Union representative Enrique Mora - who chairs the eighth round of nuclear talks - said that the work is proceeding in two parallel tracks, namely lifting sanctions and ensuring Iran's compliance with its nuclear program.


good track

In this context, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said today that the Vienna negotiations are on a good track, stressing that work is underway to negotiate controversial issues.

He reiterated that a good agreement can be reached if the other party continues its good intentions, as he put it.

On the other hand, Iran's chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said today that "Washington must first lift the sanctions before we completely return to our nuclear measures."

Bagheri added that the key to the success and progress of the talks is the effective and effective lifting of sanctions, considering that an agreement can be reached in a short time and that this depends on the seriousness of accepting the lifting of sanctions.

Bagheri explained that "the other side accepted the principle of verifying the lifting of sanctions, and negotiations will discuss the mechanism for that." He also clarified that issues related to financial and banking sanctions will be on the agenda of the negotiations.

The Iranian chief negotiator stressed that accepting his country's proposals to verify the abolition of sanctions and provide guarantees "brings us closer to an agreement."

Bagheri had said that the joint working committees in Vienna will begin today, Tuesday, to discuss the Iranian proposals related to lifting the financial and banking sanctions imposed on his country, noting that the eighth round - which started on Monday - showed an encouraging start.

Bagheri added - after the end of the first day of the round - that the parties agreed to place the item on lifting sanctions in a verifiable way at the top of the agenda of the current round of negotiations, including providing guarantees that the United States will not withdraw from the agreement in the future.


Israeli invitations

In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged world powers to take a tougher stance in the nuclear talks underway in Vienna.

"Of course there can be a good agreement, of course we know the criteria, is that expected to happen now in the current circumstances? No, because there must be a firmer position," Bennett said - in an interview with Israel Army Radio this morning.

Bennett considered that Iran is negotiating from a very weak position, but unfortunately the world is behaving as if it is strong, according to his description.

He added that his government has built a practical strategy to deal with what he called the Iranian threat, not limited to the nuclear project alone.

He stressed that Tehran has surrounded his country with hundreds of thousands of missiles over a period of 30 years, and this is what must be set back, as he put it.

Bennett stressed that Israel is not part of the negotiations taking place in Vienna between Iran and the world powers.

He also renewed his statement that "Israel should prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon."

maneuvers

Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards published a video showing a simulation of penetrating the Israeli Iron Dome during the recent military exercises.

According to a tweet on Twitter published by the Iranian Tasnim Agency, the commander of the Aerospace Forces of the Revolutionary Guards said that the simulation exercise succeeded in breaking the Iron Dome.

🎥 Farmandeh Hawavda sepah: Der Razmaish Akher Frater Az Ganbad Ahnin, Saber Mushki Ra Shakstim and Red Kardem# Razmaish_Piyambar_Azam pic.twitter.com/T3tN5J8eN9

— Khabargazari Tasnim 🇮🇷 (@Tasnimnews_Fa) December 28, 2021

Last Friday, Iran concluded large-scale military exercises in the south of the country under the name "The Greatest Messenger", during which it tested ballistic missiles, and included missile tests from land and sea and exercises for land and sea forces.