Indirect Talks Between Iran, US To Revive Nuclear Deal Begin in Doha

Indirect talks as part of the effort to revive the Iran nuclear agreement began between negotiators for Iran and the United States in Doha on Tuesday. The talks are being mediated by European Union coordinator in the Iran nuclear talks, Enrique Mora, who is shuttling between Iran’s Ali Bagheri Kani and US Iran special envoy Rob Malley, who are sitting in separate hotel rooms in the capital of Qatar. The Associated Press reported, citing the US Embassy in Qatar, that Malley, who arrived in Qatar on Monday night, met with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss “joint diplomatic efforts to address issues with Iran,” but did not provide additional details. Iran had announced on Monday that the indirect talks would be revived. Mohammad Marandi, the adviser to Iran’s negotiating team for the Vienna nuclear talks, reportedly said that Iran chose Qatar as the host “because it is our friend.” The talks have been stalled for several months over Iran’s demand that the US remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the US Foreign Terrorist Organization List, and over US economic sanctions against Iran. The talks between Iran and the world powers to revive the 2015 nuclear deal began in Vienna in April 2021. Meanwhile, Iran confirmed on Tuesday that it has begun installing a new cascade of advanced centrifuges at its underground nuclear site at Fordo.