Iran's Raisi says US 'dragging feet' over nuclear deal

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi accused the United States of "dragging their feet" instead of making a decision to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.

Raeisi made the remarks while addressing a meeting with the participants of the 18th General Assembly of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) in Tehran.

It has been on life support since then-president Donald Trump withdrew the United States from it in 2018, but on-off talks have been held since April 2021 in an effort to revive it.

"Today, it is the Americans who have to make a decision, but they are delaying and dragging their feet", Raisi told reporters in Tehran.

The United States and other Western parties to the deal have imposed fresh sanctions on Iran over its reaction to the Amini protests.

"The Islamic republic wants to obtain the lifting of the sanctions but at the same time it also has the neutralisation of the sanctions on its agenda", Raisi said, without elaborating.

He warned that arrogant powers seek to impose their own perceptions on countries, adding that independent media are responsible for helping nations get a correct understanding of the events.

Formed in 1961 on UNESCO’s initiative, the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies is an association of news agencies from UNESCO member states in the Asia-Pacific region.

OANA currently has 43 members from 35 countries, covering two-thirds of the world’s population.