Iran has made "significant progress" in defending its historic nuclear deal with the international community, the country's foreign ministry said. Iran on Monday claimed that progress had been made through talks between the two sides in the Austrian capital, Vienna. Calling for positive progress in the Vienna talks, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said nothing was certain until all issues were agreed at the Vienna talks. He told a weekly news conference in Tehran yesterday that the issues that have not yet been resolved are the most complex. Khatibzadeh said Iran's highest security body, the Supreme National Security Council, was overseeing the Vienna talks. The agency is sending a report directly to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. In 2015, Tehran signed a nuclear deal with six powerful countries, including the United States. Under the agreement, Iran will limit its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. But in 2016, the administration of then-US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement. Since then, the future of the agreement has been uncertain. But current US President Joe Biden has expressed interest in rejoining the agreement after coming to power. Negotiations are now underway to save the deal. Ali Shamkhani, Iran's top security official, said talks with European negotiators were ongoing and would continue. Talks with the United States are not on the agenda. Because, they will not play a role in ‘any progress’. Meanwhile, indirect talks between Tehran and Washington were held in Vienna last April. If the deal is not worked out soon, Western nations fear Tehran could step up its nuclear program. The draft agreement includes, among other things, the release of billions of dollars in Iranian funds to South Korean banks and the release of Western captives held in Iran. On Saturday, Iran's foreign minister said Iran was ready to exchange prisoners. He said talks to revive the nuclear deal could succeed "at the earliest" if the United States took the necessary political decisions.
Iran has made "significant progress" in defending its historic nuclear deal with the international community, the country's foreign ministry said. Iran on Monday claimed that progress had been made through talks between the two sides in the Austrian capital, Vienna. Calling for positive progress in the Vienna talks, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said nothing was certain until all issues were agreed at the Vienna talks. He told a weekly news conference in Tehran yesterday that the issues that have not yet been resolved are the most complex. Khatibzadeh said Iran's highest security body, the Supreme National Security Council, was overseeing the Vienna talks. The agency is sending a report directly to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. In 2015, Tehran signed a nuclear deal with six powerful countries, including the United States. Under the agreement, Iran will limit its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. But in 2016, the administration of then-US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement. Since then, the future of the agreement has been uncertain. But current US President Joe Biden has expressed interest in rejoining the agreement after coming to power. Negotiations are now underway to save the deal. Ali Shamkhani, Iran's top security official, said talks with European negotiators were ongoing and would continue. Talks with the United States are not on the agenda. Because, they will not play a role in ‘any progress’. Meanwhile, indirect talks between Tehran and Washington were held in Vienna last April. If the deal is not worked out soon, Western nations fear Tehran could step up its nuclear program. The draft agreement includes, among other things, the release of billions of dollars in Iranian funds to South Korean banks and the release of Western captives held in Iran. On Saturday, Iran's foreign minister said Iran was ready to exchange prisoners. He said talks to revive the nuclear deal could succeed "at the earliest" if the United States took the necessary political decisions.
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