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Six powers ready to cooperate with Iran in peaceful use of nuclear energy — diplomat

The diplomat says the six international mediators in the Iran nuclear deal have pledged they are ready to continue work towards Iran’s complete reintegration into the global economy

VIENNA, April 25. /TASS/. The six international mediators in the Iran nuclear deal have pledged they are ready to continue work towards Iran’s complete reintegration into the global economy, Russia’s Permanent Representative to Vienna-based international organizations Vladimir Voronkov told TASS on Tuesday after a meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna.

"Participants in the meeting discussed the issue of how to arrange the banking system to enliven economic activities in Iran as the business community demonstrates growing interest to the Iranian market. All arrived at a conclusion that the system is not very flexible and confidence in respect of the business community, both domestic and external, needs to be improved. So, the commission should take additional steps," Voronkov, who represented Russia at the meeting, said.

Apart from that, he said, the commission discussed the issue of the facility in Arak. "A contract has been recently signed on the modernization of this facility. Now, actually all central projects under the JCPOA, such as Fordow and Arak, can be seen as indicators of the agreement’s efficiency. Work on them is underway already and it proves that joint solutions could be found to the most complicated and difficult technical matters," the Russian diplomat stressed.

"The sides raised the topic of expanding cooperation with Iran in the sphere of peaceful use of nuclear energy. The European Union has certain ideas about how to do that. Correspondingly, we have our ideas. It is planned to organize a series of international seminars on that matter," said Voronkov, who led the Russian delegation to the meeting.

According to the Russian diplomat, such seminars will be kicked off already this year. "They will be held at different venues. We will organize them in Russia, and the European Union will hold them probably in Brussels," he noted.

"Despite expectations and speculations, the US delegation acted in compliance with its liabilities under the JCPOA. A detailed discussion was held on how to overcome the consequences of the multilateral sanctions regime," said Voronkov.

The Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will hold its next meeting in July 2017, he went on. 

"This meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere. There was a lot of constructive criticism on many issues, which proves that the sides are committed to reaching results, to continue the process of the JCPOA implementation that is proceeding as scheduled. There are no major claims either to the document or to its implementation," he said.

"All agree that it is a good, sustainable agreement. The next meeting of the commission will take place this July," he added.

The Joint Commission is monitoring the implementation of the deal on Iran’s nuclear program that was reached between Iran and six international mediators (the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia, the United States, and France) on July 14, 2015. On January 16, 2016, the parties to the deal announced beginning of its implementation. Under the deal, Iran undertakes to curb its nuclear activities and place them under total control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in exchange of abandonment of the sanctions imposed previously by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and the United States over its nuclear program.

The Joint Commission holds its meeting every three months. This year’s first meeting was held on January 10.