[Text/Observer Network Chen Sijia] According to a June 10 report by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) of Iran, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi revealed that Iran will propose a new framework agreement in the sixth round of indirect negotiations with the United States this week. He said that before the two sides can reach a broader negotiation, China and Russia must be present.

In an interview with IRNA, Takht Ravanchi said that the Iranian government is formulating a new proposal on the nuclear issue, which can serve as a "working basis." "We are not discussing long texts at this stage because we do not want to submit a comprehensive and lengthy agreement or memorandum, which is difficult to prepare and time-consuming."

He said that Iran is ready to propose a framework agreement, "If we reach an agreement on this framework agreement, we will begin more detailed discussions on specific details... Our approach is to propose a reasonable plan to achieve results within our principle framework. We are also willing to hear opinions from the other side regarding our proposal."

Takht Ravanchi pointed out that it is too early to discuss what progress the negotiations will make, but Iran believes that if broader negotiations are to take place, China and Russia must be present. "During and after the Iran nuclear negotiations, we maintain very close contact with China and Russia at various expert and political levels."

He revealed that after each round of Iran-US negotiations, Iran first briefs China and Russia on the progress of the negotiations. He believes that if the scope of the negotiations is to be expanded, China and Russia can play an important role.

Screenshot of Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Takht Ravanchi's video

Iran and the United States will hold their sixth round of indirect talks in Oman on June 15 local time. Bloomberg reported that the military threats issued by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as the warning from the International Atomic Energy Agency about the growth of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, have created a tense situation. Under such circumstances, a temporary agreement could alleviate the pressure on Iran.

Bloomberg also noted that reaching a temporary agreement would also benefit U.S. President Trump, who could boast it as a "partial diplomatic victory."

The first round of indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran took place in Oman on April 12. This was the first formal negotiation between the two sides since May 2018 when the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. Since then, the two countries have held four more rounds of indirect negotiations. So far, the main disagreement has been over uranium enrichment; the United States demands that Iran fully halt its uranium enrichment activities, while Iran considers the retention of uranium enrichment capabilities as a "red line."

According to Reuters, regarding the progress of the negotiations, U.S. President Trump stated on the 9th that he cannot accept Iran's demands, "They are just asking for things you cannot do. They do not want to give up what they must give up. They seek uranium enrichment, and we do not support uranium enrichment."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei said: "The U.S. proposal is unacceptable to us. It is not the result of previous rounds of negotiations. We will submit our proposal through Oman, which will be reasonable, logical, and balanced. We must ensure that Iran benefits economically before sanctions are lifted, and normalizes banking and trade relations with other countries."

Regarding the U.S.-Iran negotiations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian pointed out on April 17 that China has consistently believed that resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means is the only correct choice. Under the current circumstances, the relevant parties involved in the Iranian nuclear issue should move toward each other, strengthen dialogue and communication, and prevent the escalation of tensions. As the country that unilaterally withdrew from the Comprehensive Agreement on the Iranian Nuclear Issue and caused the current situation, the United States should demonstrate political sincerity, participate in dialogue and consultations with mutual respect, and stop its mistaken practices of using force threats and maximum pressure.

Lin Jian stated that China will continue to communicate with all relevant parties, actively mediate, and promote the early achievement of a diplomatic solution that takes into account the reasonable concerns of all parties, thereby maintaining the international non-proliferation system and regional peace and stability in the Middle East.

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7514329411194241599/

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