Iran nuclear deal talks to continue on Monday

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – Talks on the Iran nuclear deal will continue next week in the Austrian capital Vienna, the EU’s diplomatic service announced on Thursday.

“The Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will convene in Vienna on Monday 27 December,” the European External Action Service wrote in a statement, using the official name of the Iran nuclear deal.

Representatives from Iran, China, Russia, France, the UK, and Germany will take part in the meeting chaired by Enrique Mora, the deputy secretary-general and political director of the EU diplomatic service.

According to the statement, the parties will continue discussions on “the prospect of a possible return of the United States” to the deal and the means to “ensure an effective implementation of the agreement by all sides.”

Last week’s talks were described as “good progress” by all parties after a pause in negotiations of several months due to significant differences.

After the meeting, Mora told reporters that they had established “a very good working relationship” with the Iranian side, adding that there is a “sense of urgency” to reach an agreement.

He said the European parties included Tehran's proposals in the text being worked out, which “covers all aspects of the negotiations,” implying both sanctions removal and nuclear measures.

EU diplomats have made significant efforts to get Iran and the US back to the negotiating table since the beginning of the conflict between the two countries.

The Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, China, Russia, France, the UK, Germany, and the EU.

Under the agreement, Tehran committed to limit its nuclear activity to civilian purposes and in return, world powers agreed to drop their economic sanctions on Iran.

But in 2018, the US, under then-President Donald Trump, unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to stop complying with the deal.