Iranian MPs urged the government Sunday to secure Western guarantees at Vienna talks to restore the 2015 nuclear deal, state media reported, amid signs a deal could be close.

In a letter addressed to President Ebrahim Raisi and read at parliament, 250 MPs out of the 290-strong assembly, set out several conditions for reaching a deal.

It came amid growing signs over the weekend that a deal could be struck between Iran and world powers, including the United States.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that the "moment of truth" has arrived for Tehran's leadership.

And on Sunday Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Iran may "shortly" agree a new nuclear deal with major powers.

In the letter, the Iranian MPs insisted that the United States, France, Germany and Britain must guarantee they would not withdraw from a new deal.

The Vienna talks aim to revive the 2015 accord known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The deal offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, but the US unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed heavy economic sanctions.

This in turn prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its commitments.

The MPs also demanded a pledge from the US and other parties to the JCPOA that they would not use a "snapback" mechanism that would reimpose sanctions on Iran in case Tehran violates its part of the deal.

"We have to learn a lesson from past experiences... by not committing to any agreement without obtaining the necessary guarantees first," the MPs said, according to state news agency IRNA.

They said Western powers must first fulfil their obligations by lifting the sanctions -- especially the ones imposed on Iranian oil and banks -- adding that once Tehran has verified that it will in turn fulfil its obligations.

The MPs also said a return to the deal should only take place if all sanctions, including on missile technology and human rights, are lifted.

Since November, Iran has been engaged in direct talks in Vienna with Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia directly and indirectly with the United States.

Iranian fighter jet crashes, three killed: state TV
Tehran (AFP) Feb 21, 2022 - An Iranian fighter jet crashed Monday in a residential area of the northwestern city of Tabriz killing three people, including two crew, state television reported.

The head of the local Red Crescent organisation said the plane smashed into a school and that one of the dead was a resident of the neighbourhood.

Local official Mohammad-Bagher Honarvar told state television that the school was closed at the time due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He identified the plane as a F-5 fighter aircraft and said it went down at around 9:00 am (0530 GMT) in the central Tabriz neighbourhood of Monajem.

An investigation is underway, the state broadcaster said.

The official news agency IRNA posted on its website video footage showing firefighters putting out a blaze at the crash site.

Iran's airforce has mostly Russian MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets that date back to the Soviet era, as well as some Chinese aircraft.

Some American F-4 and F-5 fighter jets dating back to before the 1979 Islamic revolution are also part of its air fleet.

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Germany sees 'moment of truth' for Iran nuclear talks
Munich, Germany (AFP) Feb 19, 2022
The chances of reviving the Iran nuclear accord are dwindling and the "moment of truth" has arrived for Tehran's leadership, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Saturday. "We now have the chance to reach an agreement that will allow sanctions to be lifted. But if we do not succeed very quickly, the negotiations risk failing," Scholz told the Munich Security Conference. "The Iranian leadership has a choice. Now is the moment of truth." Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, speaki ... read more