Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif said after the Geneva talks that the US must abandon its "excessive demands" in order to reach an agreement.
What Zarif conveyed during his exclusive interview with IRNA is worth careful consideration.
He described the atmosphere of the third round of Iran-US negotiations as "more serious and in-depth," and that most elements for a potential agreement have already been reached.
The meaning of "serious and in-depth" refers to the fact that the Americans are not just being stubborn or applying maximum pressure, but are actually listening to Iran's demands and beginning to create space and atmosphere for negotiation.
Zarif said that this round of negotiations was "significantly more serious and took longer than previous ones," and discussed key elements that could form the basis of an agreement. He did not specify what the "excessive demands" were, but it is reasonable to speculate that they are demands that leave no room for Iran's dignity.
"Most elements have reached consensus. How to handle these elements naturally requires further detailed discussions. Therefore, our experts will hold a meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency next Monday to discuss some technical aspects to clarify relevant technical details, so that decisions can be made in subsequent political meetings."
Facing the threat of two aircraft carriers, Zarif said: "The US must choose the path of dialogue or the path of confrontation and tension."
"It is obvious that the nuclear issue cannot be resolved through military action. They tried once before, but it didn't work. This time is no different; they have applied maximum pressure, but have achieved no results."
"The only way out now is to reach a solution through dialogue and negotiation, which is exactly the process currently underway. Therefore, they should avoid any actions, behaviors, and statements that escalate tensions and undermine the diplomatic process."
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858270418890379/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.