JCPOA joint commission meeting kicks off in Vienna

According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, the meeting will focus on removing sanctions.

“The Joint Commission is being chaired on behalf of the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini by the EEAS Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid and is attended by the E3+3 (China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, United States) and Iran,” The European Union External Action (EEAS) earlier said.

Brian Hook, the policy chief in the staff of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson from the US and Abbas Araqchi from Iran attended the event.

Araqchi held bilateral talks with the JCPOA signatories representatives on Thursday.

'The deadline set by Mr. Trump definitely runs counter to the pledges made by the United States because this will create an atmosphere of uncertainty and doubt about what might happen after the deadline expires. This will certainly cause the JCPOA not to be implemented successfully at this juncture and in our view this is a clear violation of the agreement,' he said earlier.

On claims raised by the US administration about removing what it calls the flaws of the deal, Araqchi said, 'Our stance is quite clear and has no room for doubt. It is not possible to reopen or renegotiate the JCPOA. In our view, reaching a complementary agreement or adding an appendix or phrases, as are heard nowadays, is impossible.'

9376**1420

Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish