The Foreign Ministry has no instructions to engage in talks with the United States out of the framework of the nuclear deal, says the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Bahram Qasemi made the remarks on Monday answering a question by reporters on the meeting between Iranian and American officials on the sidelines of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) held on 25 April in Vienna.

I have received no such news about the meeting between Iranian and US officials on the sidelines of the event, Qasemi said.

“Such meetings belong to the past, though they can take place even today,” he said.

“Iranian delegation and delegations from other countries participating in such events engage in consultations on the sidelines of the event,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Such meetings between the Iranian delegation and other parties are conducted one by one and discussions revolve more around the nuclear deal or JCPOA, Qasemi said.

“From the past, Iran has followed not to engage in talks with the US on the issues out of the framework of the JCPOA,” he said, adding that the Islamic Republic will continue this policy.

However, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that for humanitarian reasons, officials from former US Administration started negotiations with Iran about some Iranian prisoners held in the United States and the talks bore positive results.

“This time again, the US side similarly tried to initiate talks concerning a couple of people held in Iranian prisons,” Qasemi said.

“But generally, we do not have any instructions to talk to the US out of the JCPOA framework,” he said.

Issues discussed are about the nuclear deal, he added.
 

News ID 188339