Iran and U.S. in talks to revive nuclear deal

Talks between Iran and the USA to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are set to resume. At this early stage, the discussions will be indirect and there will be no face-to-face meetings between high-level officials. The discussions will take place in Vienna and European officials will act as intermediaries. On the table is the revival of the 2015 pact under which economic sanctions on Iran were eased in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear program. This pact was intended to make it harder for Iran to develop nuclear weapons and was abandoned by Donald Trump under his administration. Officials in Tehran have always denied they have had any intentions to develop such weapons.

Negotiators on both sides say the talks will be difficult and neither side foresees any early breakthroughs. US President Joe Biden is keen to re-engage with Iran and revive the nuclear deal. He hopes Iran will resume its compliance with the 2015 deal. US negotiator Robert Malley said: "The primary issues to be discussed are actually quite simple. They are, on the one hand, the nuclear steps that Iran would need to take to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord, and on the other hand, the sanctions-relief steps that the United States would need to take." Iran said it is ready to "reverse its remedial measures, which were taken because of the opposite side's violation of the treaty."