Iran

Amir Abdollahian made the remarks during a meeting with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg on Saturday on the sidelines of the ongoing 58th Munich Security Conference here, reports Xinhua news agency. "Tehran's definite choice is to respect national interests and not to cross the logical and legitimate red lines of Iran," Abdollahian said. The Western parties to the deal must make their final decision on whether to end their current "economic terrorism and inaction", he added.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani tweeted that the United States and Europe have "failed the test" of fulfilling their commitments under the nuclear pact, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Xinhua news agency reported.

Nuclear negotiations in Vienna have reached a stage where "the outcome can be announced without guesswork", Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said in a tweet on Monday. The US political decision on whether to accept the requirements conducive to the conclusion of "a credible and lasting deal" based on the principles in the 2015 nuclear deal JCPOA.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), made the remarks in a tweet a day after millions of Iranians celebrated the 43rd anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Xinhua news agency reported. The irremovable options included "glorious presence of Iranians in ceremonies in support of the Islamic establishment, maintaining and strengthening Iran's peaceful nuclear capacities and defense capabilities.

Raisi made the remarks on Thursday during his meeting with foreign ambassadors to Iran on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to the Iranian presidency's website. "Everyone knows the Islamic Republic has never left the negotiating table and has always entered talks with determination and initiatives," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iran unveiled a ballistic missile named Kheibar Shekan with the range of 1,450 kilometres, as the country is celebrating the 43rd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Xinhua news agency reported.

The President made the remarks on Tuesday in a meeting with Salam Zawawi, the new Palestinian Ambassador to Iran, to receive her credentials, reported the Iranian presidency's website. Raisi noted that certain Arab states' move to establish diplomatic relations with Israel will not ensure protection and security for them, and instead, it will create more problems for the region and Arab countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Iranian negotiators' agenda for continuing the eighth round of talks has been carefully specified," Shamkhani tweeted on Monday, adding "an agreement in which the 'maximum pressure' sanctions are not lifted will have an impact on the country's (Iran) economy, and cannot be the basis of a good agreement." The eighth round of Vienna talks, which had been postponed for a few days, was expected to continue in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Tuesday, according to media reports.

Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Sunday said in an interview with IRIB state TV that Iran has seen "no serious or remarkable initiative" from the US. The negotiations, he added, will achieve progress based on expert views and agreements, the outcome of which will be a "good agreement" that would serve the interests of the country and its people, Xinhua news agency reported.

The two leaders on Sunday discussed "regional challenges" and in particular the "growing Iranian aggression, and the steps to block the Iranian nuclear program," it added. Bennett congratulated Biden on the operation to kill the IS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, noting that "the world is now a safer place". Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.