News / Nuclear Energy / Foreign Policy

US says held 'productive' talks with Europeans on Iran nuclear deal

Saturday, 11 December 2021 6:17 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 11 December 2021 6:17 PM ]

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken poses for a photo ahead of bilateral talks at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers meeting in Liverpool, northwest England on December 11, 2021. (Photo by AFP)

The US State Department has said Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a "productive" meeting with his European counterparts on the nuclear agreement with Iran.

In 2015, six world powers, namely, the US, France, Germany, the UK, Russia and China signed a nuclear deal with Iran known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

However, in 2018, the US under its former president Donald Trump, exited the nuclear deal and began to unilaterally implement what it called a maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic.

On Saturday, a US State Department spokesperson said that Blinken held talks with his German, French and British counterparts regarding the Iran nuclear deal.

"Secretary Blinken had a productive meeting with his E3 counterparts from Germany, France and the UK in Liverpool yesterday. They discussed the JCPOA talks and our way forward," the spokesperson was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Blinken has traveled to the northwest English port city to hold talks over the weekend with his G-7 counterparts.

Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear steps prompted other signatories to enter new talks earlier this year and the meetings resumed in Vienna with the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China on Thursday.

Iran says JCPOA signatories more serious in talks

As nuclear talks resume in Vienna, Iran’s lead negotiator says the removal of sanctions is key to Tehran’s return to full compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The US has been absent from the talks.

However, Iran has said it demands relief from all sanctions in a verifiable manner as well as a guarantee from Washington that it will not exit the deal again.

Iran’s nuclear program has made great progress, now producing 60% enriched uranium: IAEA head

The IAEA director general says Iran’s nuclear program has made significant progress, and the country is now enriching uranium to the purity level of 60%.

Under the original nuclear agreement, abandoned by then-president Trump, Iran limited its nuclear program in return for ending sanctions.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has pointed out that Tehran will never give up its "main and categorical policy" of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

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