Nuclear deal talks with Iran in Vienna have shown modest progress and the United States hopes to build on that this week, Price stated on Tuesday amid efforts to revive a 2015 agreement.
In the latest round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States in Vienna, Tehran is focused on getting Washington sanctions lifted again.
“There was some modest progress in the talks last week. We hope to build on that this week,” Price told reporters.
“Sanctions relief and the steps that the United States would take… when it comes to sanctions together with the nuclear steps that Iran would need to take if we were to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA – that’s really at the heart of the negotiations that are ongoing in Vienna right now,” he added.
Earlier, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Iran that time was running out to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal.
In a call with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Johnson discussed the ongoing talks on the Iran nuclear deal in Vienna.
“The prime minister said the UK wants to see the negotiations in Vienna lead to full restoration of the JCPOA, but that we need Iran to engage in good faith,” a Downing Street spokesman said, adding, “The diplomatic door is open, but time is running out to reach an agreement.”
Iran has rejected any deadlines for the talks and has criticized the west for insinuating time is running out for a deal. Tehran has stressed it will continue the negotiations as long as necessary.
Senior diplomats from Iran, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are engaged in the eighth round of talks to try to find a way to remove sanctions against Tehran and allow Washington to return to the agreement.
Iran insists that the talks must lead to the removal of all US sanctions that were imposed against Tehran following Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in May 2018.
Tehran has also demanded credible guarantees that Washington will not abandon the deal again.
