Iran’s Araqchi, Austrian FM Discuss JCPOA Talks in Vienna
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s top negotiator in the latest round of talks for the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal held a meeting with the foreign minister of Austria to weigh plans for the next steps regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna on Thursday to discuss the next steps regarding the ongoing efforts to resuscitate the JCPOA.
In a tweet on Thursday evening, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said the talks to restore JCPOA are underway in the Austrian capital, adding that Schallenberg and Araqchi met to "take stock and discuss the next steps."
Iranian Ambassador to Vienna Abbas Baqerpour also referred to the meeting in a post on his Twitter account, saying it was “fruitful” and “cordial." He also thanked Austria’s hospitality for hosting the talks, Press TV reported.
The European Union has been coordinating the Vienna talks between Iran, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China since early this month, with the aim of bringing all JCPOA signatories – in particular the US which is no longer a party to the deal – into full compliance with the agreement.
The negotiations, which have been accompanied by parallel talks between the five world powers and the US, have been described by different sides as productive and positive.
The talks began in Vienna on April 6 between Iran and the remaining members of the nuclear deal, namely the UK, France, Russia and China plus Germany.
The US left the JCPOA in 2018 and restored the economic sanctions that the accord had lifted. Tehran retaliated with remedial nuclear measures that it is entitled to take under the JCPOA’s Paragraph 36.
The current negotiations examine the potential of revitalization of the nuclear deal and the US’ likely return to it.
