Vienna Nuclear Talks Pause for Political Consultations
The latest round of talks in Vienna to reup the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, adjourned on Friday as negotiators returned to their capitals to consult and to make “political decisions.” An eight round of talks reportedly will resume again this week. The world powers have imposed a deadline of mid-February to arrive at a revised agreement.
“Everyone knows we are reaching the final stage, which requires political decisions. Negotiators are therefore returning to capitals for consultation,” according to a statement from Britain, France and Germany.
Talks in Vienna between Iran and the world powers began in April and took a hiatus in the summer for presidential elections in Iran which brought hard-line president Ebrahim Raisi to office. The United States, which left the agreement in 2018 at the initiative of former President Donald Trump and snapped crushing sanctions back on Iran, has participated indirectly in the negotiations. Since the US left the agreement, Iran has moved ahead with its nuclear program in violation of the 2015 agreement.