Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian
New demands by the US in talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal are unjustified, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told EU’s foreign policy chief.
The foreign minister did not explain what Washington’s new demands were, but he made an indirect reference to Tehran’s insistence on lifting US sanctions imposed on the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and several high-ranking officials.
Amir-Abdollahian told EU’s Jodep Borrell that “Some issues are related to our national heroes and cannot be discussed,” according to Fars news in Tehran affiliated with the IRGC.
Reports emerged last week that the Biden Administration has agreed to lift sanctions imposed on IRGC and several former and current Iranian officials implicated in terror-related activities.
The news led to protests by Republicans and others in the United States. Several lawmakers wrote to President Joe Biden asking him to stop talks aimed at reviving the Obama-era nuclear deal known as JCPOA.
Amir-Abdollahian told Borrell, according to Fars, that Tehran cannot accept US requests based on American domestic opposition to certain points discussed in the nuclear talks.
“America cannot use the excuse of public opinion to say something new every day…If America has a public opinion problem…we also have,” the minister said.
Russia on Saturday introduced new demands asking exemption from Ukraine sanctions in its dealings with Iran, adding a new complicating factor in the Vienna talks. Iran has not opposed Russia’s demands, insisting that the US is delaying an agreement.