Zarif and Mogherini Meet in Vienna; 'Discussion on JCPOA and Syria'

On the eve of the International Support Group for Syria meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Vienna on Monday evening and met with Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign policy chief, upon his arrival. Discussions regarding the obstacles to the implementation of the JCPOA, including Zarif's travel plans to Vienna, have been announced. According to the state news agency IRNA, the meeting between Zarif and Mogherini took place at the hotel where Zarif is staying, and as Mogherini noted on her Twitter, both sides discussed the implementation of the JCPOA and Syria ahead of the International Support Group for Syria meeting. Zarif also told IRNA that on the sidelines of the Syria meeting, he would hold meetings with the U.S. Secretary of State and other ministers present in Vienna and would pursue the 'necessity of the U.S. commitment to the JCPOA'. Abbas Araghchi and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's deputy foreign ministers, and Hossein Jaberi Ansari, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, will accompany Zarif on his trip to Vienna. Hours before the Iranian Foreign Minister's trip to Austria, IRNA quoted Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister and a member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team, stating that 'the U.S. government has not fulfilled its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as it should have, and we have not seen that the JCPOA has been successfully implemented as necessary.' He referred to the 'caution of European banks' in cooperating with Iran, a topic that has been one of the most controversial issues related to the implementation of the nuclear agreement in recent months, and even the U.S. Secretary of State's emphasis that his country does not obstruct the resumption of European banks' relations with Iran has not resolved the issue. Nevertheless, upon his arrival in Vienna, Zarif told IRNA that 'those who claim that the JCPOA has been ineffective and that the situation for economic actors has worsened do not see the realities and conditions of the country correctly.' Zarif added that 'the doubling of oil sales within three months' is solid evidence that the JCPOA has had significant effects. He further noted that 'we believe that the United States has not acted as it should have to open pathways and assure banks of their presence in Iran, and we will pursue this matter.' Iranian officials, including Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, have previously accused the U.S. of scaring European companies and banks away from trading with Iran, thus failing to adhere to its commitments under the nuclear agreement. However, Washington has repeatedly emphasized that it does not obstruct foreign banks and is working to clarify this matter to end the 'confusion' among these banks.