Iran says JCPOA signatories more serious in talks

As talks resume in Vienna, Iran’s lead negotiator says the removal of sanctions is key to Tehran’s return to full compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement. Ali Bagheri-Kani says the other signatories have come back to Vienna with a more serious will to enter into effective negotiations.

The seventh round of talks aimed at reviving the nuclear agreement, known as the JCPOA, resumes in Vienna between Iran and the remaining signatories, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. 

Iranian lead negotiator and Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri-Kani says the removal of US sanctions will pave the way for progress in talks on Tehran’s return to full compliance. 

EU coordinator Enrique Mora described the negotiations as very difficult, saying there were different positions that the sides needed to marry. 

The seventh round of talks began last week during which Iran presented the other sides with two draft proposals, which it says are based on the 2015 nuclear agreement and the text that all sides had been working on over the previous six rounds. 

Bagheri-Kani said he believed the other sides had come back to Vienna with a more serious will to resume the work. 

The expert working group focusing on Iran’s nuclear commitments will resume its work on Friday as talks also continue among various delegations on the issue of sanctions removal. As to the duration of the seventh round, no clear timetable has been announced yet.