Iran Deplores WSJ over “Ignorant, Hostile” Commentary amid Serious Talks in Vienna

By Staff, Agencies

Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations has strongly condemned the American business-focused daily newspaper The Wall Street Journal over publication of an “ignorant and hostile” commentary in the wake of intense negotiations between representatives from the Islamic Republic and the remaining parties to the 2015 deal in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

The mission, in a post published on its Twitter page, stressed that the newspaper’s encouragement for an act of military aggression against Iranian civilian nuclear facilities whilst negotiations are underway with the goal of removing illegal US sanctions imposed on Tehran is “in contravention of the principles of international law.”

“Those who design and implement such reckless plans will bear responsibilities for consequences,” the tweet also read.

The Wall Street Journal had proposed in an opinion piece dated January 6 that US President Joe Biden should prepare for a military strike against Iranian nuclear sites if the ongoing talks in Vienna fail.

This is while Iran and the remaining signatories to the 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], resumed talks in Vienna on Monday after the parties took a three-day break for the New Year.

The eighth round of the Vienna talks began on December 27 with a focus on the removal of all US sanctions. The US is not allowed to directly attend the talks due to its pullout in 2018 from the Iran deal.

During the previous round of the talks, the first under Iran’s new President Ebrahim Raisi, Tehran presented new proposals at the negotiating table to help the talks move forward and later criticized the European signatories of the JCPOA for failing to follow suit and remaining passive.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has expressed optimism about the ongoing talks between Iran and the P4+1 group of countries in Vienna, saying the negotiations are moving “in a good direction” and an agreement is possible if other parties show “goodwill” and “seriousness.”

“We believe that if the other sides continue the talks, which have just started in this phase, with goodwill, it will be possible for all parties to reach a good agreement and we can realize this goal,” Amir Abdollahian told reporters on Tuesday.