Former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) would have taken two decades to achieve, if at all, had it relied on indirect negotiations, highlighting the necessity of direct talks with foreign ministers.
"If the JCPOA negotiations were to be indirect, we would not have reached the JCPOA in two years, let alone twenty years," Rouhani said in comments reported by Iranian news outlet Entekhab. He emphasized that direct engagement with foreign ministers was crucial to the agreement.
Rouhani, who was president during the JCPOA talks, acknowledged that the current circumstances surrounding potential negotiations with the United States are different and require a different strategy.
"We hope that with the efforts of the esteemed 14th government and the guidance of the Supreme Leader, we will achieve results and remove the shadow of war from the country and succeed in the negotiations. The issue of economic sanctions is important for our region and country," Rouhani added.
