U.S And Iran Hail Constructive Indirect Nuclear Talks In Vienna

U.S and Iranian officials said initial indirect talks in Vienna on Tuesday aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal were constructive, with negotiations set to continue this week.

Addressing reporters in Washington, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the talks were certainly a welcome and useful step in determining what Iran is prepared to do to return to compliance with the stringent limitations under the 2015 deal.

He added this would result in determining what the country might need to do to return to compliance herself.

Russian envoy Mikhail Ulyanov also tweeted that the initial talks were “successful” fofllowing the closed meetings of the signatories to the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action

European allies of the U.S, along with Russia and China, met in Vienna with representatives of Iran to revive the Iran nuclear deal after former president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in May 2018.

Iran has since been steadily violating restrictions set forth in the deal, like the amount of enriched uranium that it can stockpile and the level of purity to which it can be enriched.

Tehran’s moves have been calculated to pressure other signatories to do more to offset crippling US sanctions re-imposed under Trump.

Iran argues that since the US violated the deal first with its withdrawal, Washington should also take the first step by lifting sanctions.