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A State Department spokesman slammed Iran in response to allegations that the United States and the United Kingdom were linking a humanitarian exchange to the Iran nuclear deal, calling the allegations “outrageous.”
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, in a tweet on Saturday, accused the US and UK governments of holding a planned prisoner exchange “hostage” over negotiations for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as name of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the Vienna talks, referring to the JCPOA negotiations, should be delayed until the inauguration of the country’s newly elected president early next month, and urged the United States and the United Kingdom to United to “understand this and stop linking a humanitarian exchange – ready to implement – with the JCPOA.
“TEN PRISONERS of all stripes could be released TOMORROW if the US and UK fulfill their end of the deal,” Araghchi added.
We are in a period of transition as a democratic transfer of power is underway in our capital. #Vienna_talks must therefore obviously await our new administration. This is what any democracy demands. 1/2
– Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 17, 2021
State Department spokesman Ned Price rejected Araghchi’s request in a statement, denying that a prison swap deal was on the table and that the United States was willing to continue talks regarding prisoners over time before the renewal of the JCPOA talks, according to The Associated Press.
“These comments are a scandalous effort to shift the blame for the current deadlock onto a potential mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA,” Price said in a statement.
“We are ready to return to Vienna to complete the work on a mutual return to the JCPOA once Iran takes the necessary decisions,” he added.
Price said Araghchi’s mention of the potential release of the 10 prisoners was “just another cruel effort to raise hope in their families,” according to the AP.
“If Iran was really interested in doing a humanitarian gesture, it would just release the detainees immediately,” he added.
Price did not speak to Araghchi’s claim that Iran is in the midst of a “democratic transfer of power,” but he tore up Iran’s claim that the United States and the United Kingdom held the exchange of prisoners “hostage”, according to the press service.
He said the Iranian government “has unjustly detained four innocent Americans for years.”
Price added, according to the PA, that the indirect talks on the prisoners had advanced in the context of the nuclear negotiations in Vienna, and that “the delay in restarting this process is not helping.”
He concluded the statement by stating that while the United States believes the talks on the prisoner exchange would be more effective in this context, the State Department is “ready to continue discussions on the detainees during” the break. current, according to the press service.
A sixth round of nuclear talks ended last month without a deal, according to the PA, just before Ebrahim Raisi won the country’s presidential election.
The United States has reportedly said it is ready to enter a seventh round when Iran is ready. The United States, however, also continued its calls for the immediate release of American citizens detained in the country.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, hit back at Price in a statement on Twitter, doubling down on the country’s claim that a prisoner swap was imminent.
“Outrageous” = the United States denying the mere fact that “there is an agreement on the detainee issue.” “Even on how to announce it,” Khatibzadeh wrote.
“A humanitarian exchange was agreed with the US and UK in Vienna – separately from the JCPOA – on the release of 10 prisoners from all sides. Iran is ready to proceed TODAY, ”he added.
“Outrageous” = US denying the mere fact that “there is an agreed agreement on the detainee issue”. Even on the way to announce it.
A humanitarian exchange was agreed with the US and UK in Vienna – separately from the JCPOA – on the release of 10 prisoners from all sides.
Iran is ready to proceed TODAY.
– Saeed Khatibzadeh (@SKhatibzadeh) July 18, 2021
The Hill contacted the State Department for additional information.
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