Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said diplomatic efforts to revive the nuclear agreement have “taken steps forward” when compared to the stalemate before Enrique Mora, the European Union’s nuclear talks coordinator, visited Tehran last week.
Mora had held two days of discussions with Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Bagheri in Tehran last week, leading the EU to say talks had been unblocked.
Nevertheless, Khatibzadeh said on Monday that Iran awaited the US response to “solutions” discussed with the EU envoy for breaking a deadlock in talks aimed at restoring the 2015 deal.
The negotiations, aimed at bringing the US back into the deal and Iran to full compliance with it, had stalled for about two months.
“Serious and result-oriented negotiations with special initiatives from Iran were held,” Khatibzadeh told reporters.
“If the US gives its response to some of the solutions that were proposed, we can be in the position that all sides return to Vienna,” where the talks are held, he added during his weekly press briefing.
“If the US announces its political decision today, which we have not yet received, we can say that an important step has been taken in the progress of the negotiations,” Khatibzadeh also noted.
Iran has been engaged in direct negotiations with France, Germany, Britain, Russia, and China to revive the deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The US has participated indirectly.
The agreement gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program to prevent Tehran from developing an atomic bomb
Broad outlines of a deal were agreed in March, but the agreement stumbled over Russian and Iranian last-minute demands.
Khatibzadeh pointed out that Mora’s visit came after a phone call between the EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, reported the state-run Mehr news agency.
