The talks entered a week-long hiatus on Saturday to let the teams return to their capitals for political decisions on the fate of the negotiations expected to remove US sanctions on Iran.
This was the eighth round of the talks held in Vienna, Austria, that lasted 30 days and had deputy EU foreign policy chief Enrique Mora described it as the longest round of the series of talks between Iran and the P4+1, namely China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK.
The United States that was a signatory of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or simply the JCPOA, withdrew from it in 2018, causing killing troubles for the deal and left the remaining parties struggling to revive it until the present.
The talks have entered complicated, sensitive technical stages and speculations about the possibility of reaching an agreement in February have intensified, as some diplomatic sources have claimed that the coming weeks are decisive for the talks.
However, European participants of the JCPOA have deployed a harsh tone to highlight calendar constraints. The UK foreign minister, for example, said that the talks are approaching a dangerous deadlock.
Iran should choose now whether it wants to reach a deal or be responsible for the collapse of the JCPOA, he said, threatening that all options would be on the table in case of collapse.
The statements were evaluated as irresponsible and baseless by Iran’s foreign minister who said that this was another page of the empty game of the West to blame Iran and cover up their years-long inaction and abetting US sanctions.
Reports suggest that the talks have reached a turning point of decision-making on sanctions removal, assurances, and verification and that the Western parties should put aside misconceptions and bias.
Iran has demanded that the US should give assurances that no future US administration can restore sanctions once they’re removed as a result of these talks, as it has previously done the same.
Iran also wants to have a mechanism to verify whether the sanctions have been actually removed and third parties can transact with Iran without falling into US sanctions trap.
With that said, almost all teams in Vienna share the view that the talks are progressing despite complicated issues.
A French source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the talks in Vienna are still tough, but there are signs that a deal is available.
Iran’s demanded assurances and how to revive the controlling regime of Iran’s nuclear program still need elaboration, the source added.
“The participants in the #ViennaTalks on #JCPOA will take a break, not very long, for consultations in the capitals. The negotiations have reached advanced stage when political decisions are needed. The 8th round is expected to resume next week,” Mikhail Ulyanov who represents Russia in the talks wrote in a tweet on Friday.
An informed source told IRNA yesterday that the overall process of the talks were constructive and progressive and if the teams make required decision after they return to Vienna, a quick move towards a deal will be possible.
This means that it’s time for the US and European participants to the deal to take viable steps towards reviving the JCPOA, instead of deviating the public opinion.
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