Iran and six world powers have been negotiating in Vienna since April to work out steps for rapprochement between Washington and Tehran.
The United States withdrew from the pact in 2018 despite Iran accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting many foreign sanctions against it. The formal Sunday meeting takes place more than a week after a new round of talks has resumed and is an indication that the talks are likely to be adjourned.
Officials later on the week indicated that differences persist on key issues. “The Joint Commission of the #JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal, note) will meet on Sunday, June 20,” said Russian envoy Mikhail Ulyanov on Twitter. “She will decide how to proceed at the #ViennaTalks. An agreement on the revival of the nuclear deal is within reach, but not yet concluded.”
The remaining contracting parties – Iran, Russia, China, France, Great Britain, Germany and the European Union – will meet in the Vienna Grand Hotel. The US delegation for the talks is in a hotel across the street as Iran refuses to meet face-to-face and the other delegations and the EU act as mediators.
Since former US President Donald Trump stepped out of the agreement and reinstated sanctions against Iran, Tehran has taken countermeasures, including massively increasing the enrichment of uranium-235, a possible route to atomic bombs.
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