22 June 2021; MEMO: President-elect Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday that his support for the nuclear talks taking place between Iran and world powers in Vienna is "conditional", and depends on the achievement of his country's demands.
In his first public address since winning the presidential election at the weekend, Raisi said that Tehran does not count on the Vienna negotiations to improve the economic situation in the country. He added that he will not allow attritional negotiations to continue; any negotiations must achieve results.
"America has violated the nuclear agreement and Europe has not implemented its commitments, and Washington must lift sanctions and return to its commitment under the nuclear agreement," he explained. As president, Raisi added, he will focus on achieving results that serve the Iranian people's interest in any negotiations. "The abolition of sanctions will be the main focus of my government's foreign policy."
Asked if he would change the Iranian negotiating team, Raisi said that it has already submitted a report on the progress of the negotiations and his foreign policy team is studying it.
He stressed that he will not meet with US President Joe Biden, even if US sanctions are lifted and Washington returns to the 2015 nuclear deal. The newly elected president also said that there are "no obstacles" to restoring diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and the reopening of the embassies of both countries.
