After a five-month hiatus, negotiators reconvened in Vienna on Thursday for a fresh round of talks to salvage a 2015 Iran nuclear accord.
Under the shadow of Tehran鈥檚 rapidly expanding nuclear program, the highly anticipated indirect talks between Iran and the US, mediated by the EU, resumed on a subdued note and with guarded expectations.
Iran鈥檚 lead negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri, held a one-on-one meeting with the EU鈥檚 Enrique Mora at the Palais Coburg hotel, picking up from where they left off in Doha last month.
The meeting, according to sources, focused on the draft text recently put forward by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, as well as Iran鈥檚 proposal, which mainly stresses the removal of sanctions and economic benefits from the agreement.
Borrell, in an article in the British publication Financial Times last week, said he pitched a new draft text to the parties in a bid to break the deadlock in reviving the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Over the weekend, Bagheri said Tehran has responded to the proposal and shared its own ideas 鈥渋n substance and form鈥� to pave the way for 鈥渟wift conclusions鈥� at the Vienna talks.
While details about the EU proposal are still not known, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Wednesday that the draft text accommodates Iran鈥檚 demands to a large extent.
Bagheri arrived in the Austrian capital early on Thursday, hours after he said 鈥渢he onus (to close the deal) is on those who breached the deal and have failed to distance from ominous legacy,鈥� referring to the Biden administration.
鈥淭he US must seize the opportunity offered by the JCPOA partners鈥� generosity; the ball is in their court to show maturity and act responsibly,鈥� he said on Twitter.
Bagheri and his delegation also held separate talks with representatives from Russia and China.
The meeting between Bagheri and Russian envoy Mikhail Ulyanov was attended by Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for Iran鈥檚 nuclear agency, and the country鈥檚 newly appointed permanent envoy to Vienna-based organizations, Mohsen Naziri Asl.
After the meeting, Ulyanov took to Twitter to say the two sides had 鈥渁 frank, pragmatic and constructive exchange of views鈥� on 鈥渨ays and means of overcoming the last outstanding issues.鈥�
Ulyanov was later quoted as saying by Iran鈥檚 state news agency IRNA that he hopes this will be 鈥渢he last round of negotiations,鈥� adding that the parties are 鈥渧ery close to the finish line.鈥�
The Iranian delegation also held talks with Chinese negotiator Wang Qun and his team on Thursday.
Meetings will continue in the coming days between Iran鈥檚 delegation and the P4+1 representatives.
- 鈥榁ery low鈥� expectations
What has, however, dampened hopes is the absence of top negotiators from the E3 countries 鈥� France, Germany, and the UK 鈥� in this round, unlike the previous seven rounds.
The three European JCPOA signatories have sent experts to Vienna this time.
A report in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday quoted one unnamed E3 official as saying that his expectations were 鈥渧ery low.鈥�
The latest round of talks also comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US, especially after President Joe Biden鈥檚 high-profile Asia tour, where he signed two highly critical resolutions against Iran, much to the chagrin of Tehran.
What has so far prevented a breakthrough, despite progress in the previous rounds, are key sticking points between Tehran and Washington, including the delisting of Iran鈥檚 elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
A recent Wall Street Journal report claimed Tehran has dropped the demand in exchange for sanctions relief and to close the marathon talks in Vienna.
However, Iran鈥檚 state news agency dismissed the report on Thursday, citing a source close to the negotiating team.
Ahead of Bagheri鈥檚 trip to Vienna, Iran鈥檚 nuclear agency chief Mohammad Eslami said on Wednesday that cameras operating beyond the safeguards agreement at the country鈥檚 nuclear sites will be turned on 鈥渙nly when they drop their claims and return to their commitments,鈥� referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the US.
The UN nuclear watchdog鈥檚 board in early June criticized Tehran for failing to cooperate with a probe into what it claimed were undeclared nuclear particles found at some facilities in Iran.
The anti-Iran resolution at the IAEA board of governors meeting came after Iran鈥檚 nuclear body announced its decision to shut off cameras at some nuclear sites that were installed for monitoring purposes as part of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Observers believe the standoff with the IAEA, as well as issues with Washington, are likely to act as major obstacles in Vienna.鈥嬧嬧嬧嬧嬧嬧�
Last month, the talks moved to Doha in a different format 鈥� indirect negotiations between Iran and the US mediated by the EU. The first round, however, failed to produce any substantial result.
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Anadolu Agency