EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday he is 鈥渓ess confident鈥� about the success of a compromise for reviving the Iranian nuclear deal.
Borrell told reporters that the positive outcome of the EU-mediated negotiations between Iran and the US on reactivating the nuclear deal is 鈥渋n danger鈥� and that the parties won鈥檛 be able to close the deal quickly.
He explained that the positions 鈥渄iverge鈥� based on the reactions he recently received, which he called 鈥渧ery worrisome.鈥�
鈥淚 am less confident today than 28 hours before about the conversions of the negotiation process and about the prospect of closing the deal," he stated.
After a five-month break, negotiations resumed in the Austrian capital Vienna on Aug. 5 to revive the Iran nuclear by finding a compromise between Washington and Tehran.
As coordinator of the deal, Borrell presented a proposal on lifting US sanctions and ensuring Iran鈥檚 compliance with nuclear requirements.
As he told reporters, it was 鈥渢he most balanced texts I can produce, taking into account all points of view.鈥�
His draft received 鈥減ositive feedback from our partners鈥� but the positions didn鈥檛 converge during indirect talks through the EU coordinator, he added.
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.
Then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to stop complying with the deal.
EU diplomacy, as coordinator of the deal, has made significant efforts to get Iran and the US back to the negotiating table since the beginning of the conflict.
By Agnes Szucs
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr