EU Envoy Upbeat On Iran Nuclear Talks

The EU official leading talks to revive Iran’s nuclear deal expressed confidence that a deal would be reached as the negotiations adjourned, although European diplomats said success was not guaranteed with very difficult issues remaining.

The talks resumed in Vienna on May 7 with the remaining parties to the deal – Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany – meeting in the basement of a luxury hotel, and the United States based in another hotel across the street.

Meanwhile, Iran has refused to hold direct talks with the United States on how to resume compliance with the 2015 deal, which former President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Tehran to begin violating its terms about a year later.

Russia’s envoy, Mikhail Ulyanov, echoed those comments, saying on Twitter he hoped a final round expected to begin next week would be the last one.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter said the talks had “really helped to crystallize towards the steps that need to be made by Iran as well as by the United States.”

The crux of the original agreement was that Iran committed to rein in its nuclear programme to make it harder to obtain the fissile material for a nuclear weapon in return for relief from U.S., EU and U.N. sanctions.

Commission, in Vienna© Reuters/LEONHARD FOEGER Meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission, in Vienna

Senior diplomats from Britain, France and Germany (a grouping known as the E3) offered a note of caution, saying that while there was some tangible progress with the contours of a final deal emerging, success was not guaranteed.