US Visas Problems Prevented Iran From Properly Planning JCPOA Talks At UNGA - Envoy

Iran could not properly work on preparing a ministerial meeting on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly due to problems with US visas for the delegation, but will see if it can still take place, Kazem Gharib Abadi, Iran's permanent representative to international organizations in vienna, told Sputnik in an interview

VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2019) Iran could not properly work on preparing a ministerial meeting on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly due to problems with US visas for the delegation, but will see if it can still take place, Kazem Gharib Abadi, Iran's permanent representative to international organizations in vienna, told Sputnik in an interview.

Earlier this week, numerous Iranian media reported that the United States did not yet issue visas for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani or Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to attend the UN General Assembly in New York. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that he is in contact with the United States on the matter. It was later announced by the Iranian Foreign Ministry that Zarif would travel to New York on Friday.

"Our minister just today left to New York, so we have to see whether there would be a meeting of the ministers there because until yesterday it was not clear whether our delegation can get the visa to enter New York or not. Because of this there was no planning for the meeting and other issues. But the ministers for foreign affairs are there, so let's wait and see what would happen in New York, whether there would be a meeting at the ministerial level or not," Gharib Abadi said.

The diplomat stressed, however, that Iran did not simply want to convene talks - either at the ministerial level or level of political directors - just for the sake of talks themselves.

"We want to see substantial progress on behalf of other participants. If there are some substantial materials for the Joint Commission's meetings, Iran would welcome it," he explained.