Iran: The 60-day period “doesn't make any sense” after the United States violated the memorandum of understanding

On 17 August, the spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Baghae, stated that the so-called “60-day period” no longer had any meaning after the memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington on 18 June had been violated by the United States. “There is no reference in the memorandum of understanding to a `60-day period' and the Islamic Republic of Iran has never made a policy under pressure, an ultimatum or time limits”. He stated that the memorandum had originally been set at 60 days to commence negotiations on the two topics of “de-sanctions” and “nuclear issues”; if no agreement had been reached at that time, the deadline could have been extended, but negotiations had not been launched because the United States had “seriously and widely violated” the agreement only weeks after the memorandum had been signed. He added: “So the so-called 60-day period has become completely meaningless.”