Iran, nuclear deal partners seeking date for Vienna talks, EU says

[October 29, 2021]    BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Iran and world powers seeking to revive a 2015 nuclear deal are trying to agree a date for the resumption of talks in Vienna as soon as possible, a European Union spokesperson said on Friday.

The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo

Iran's top negotiator said after talks in Brussels this week that negotiations in Vienna will resume by the end of November.

EU spokesperson Peter Stano said the Oct. 27 meeting in Brussels was "useful" and "helped to define a way forward to resume negotiations in Vienna".

"We are working together with other partners, including Iran and other signatories (of the Iran nuclear deal), to fix a concrete date as early as possible to reconvene in Vienna," Stano told a regular briefing.

In April, Tehran and six powers started to discuss ways to salvage the 2015 nuclear pact, which three years ago then-U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned. Trump then reimposed sanctions on Iran that have devastated its economy by squeezing its oil exports.

But the talks have been on hold since the election of Iran's hardline President Ebrahim Raisi in June, who is expected to take a tough approach if the talks resume in Vienna.

(Reporting by Robin Emmott and Sabine Siebold; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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