US and EU want quick deal with Iran on nuclear talks

The United States and the European Union want to quickly reach an agreement on nuclear talks with Iran. Iran said on Monday that a deal was still a long way off and that more negotiations were needed.

Iran’s nuclear negotiators returned to Tehran from Vienna on Monday. A deal is still not close, they said. “We have made reasonable progress in many areas.”

The European Union presented a new draft text on Monday. Based on this, the United States and the European Union want an agreement to be made as soon as possible. Iran prefers to consult domestically first. The EU said it would “not be renegotiated”. “You have to say yes or no now,” an EU official said, expecting an answer “in a few weeks, very, very few weeks”.

Negotiations have been stalled for months

Iran and the US are in yet another attempt to renew the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran’s chief negotiator, Ali Bagheri Ghani, and his US counterpart, Rob Malley, were sent to Vienna by their governments for further discussions.

Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program have been deadlocked for months. At the end of June, indirect talks between Iran and the United States in Qatar were fruitless. Both sides are accusing each other of not wanting to give up. Under the original deal, Iran would curtail its nuclear activities in exchange for the suspension of international sanctions. US President Donald Trump has withdrawn his country, but his successor, Joe Biden, favors a deal.

Iran’s foreign ministry wants “cruel sanctions” against Iran to be lifted. In return, the US wants to make tougher deals on its nuclear program and prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Tehran says it only conducts scientific research.