Senior Iranian Lawmaker Says There Is No Draft Nuclear Agreement

Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini, chairman of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee spoke with IRNA about a meeting on Monday between committee members and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. He said lawmakers received “a serious and comprehensive briefing” from the minister and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri-Kani.

Meshkini said that based on the report lawmakers heard, there is no draft agreement in the Vienna talks to be debated by members of parliament (Majles).

Iran’s legislature is dominated by hardliners, who have been warning the government not to violate Iran’s “red lines” in the nuclear talks. The most important condition is reportedly Tehran’s demand from the United States to remove the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) from the Foreign Terrorist Organization list.

Meshkini also said that the negotiating parties in Vienna have kept notes from their meetings, but there are still differences. He added that these notes are not a final draft agreement, as each side still makes demands and the other side resists. But Meshkini emphasized that Iran’s “revolutionary government” will not make concession. On the contrary, Iran is in a stronger position to demand concessions “and we see a good future.”

Last week, some lawmakers claimed they had seen the draft agreement and began criticizing the government for having conceded too much in Vienna.