Iran indicates nuclear talks only with EU this week

Iran has repeatedly said in recent weeks that it is seeking to return to full talks soon

TEHRAN - Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri will be in Brussels Thursday for talks with the European Union aimed at reviving its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, the foreign ministry said Monday.

“After the talks in Tehran, Bagheri will go to Brussels to discuss outstanding issues,” foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters, referencing talks last week in Tehran with EU envoy Enrique Mora.

Khatibzadeh only spoke of talks with the EU, rather than the direct parties to the 2015 deal, suggesting that a lawmaker on Sunday misquoted Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in citing him as saying that the Brussels talks would be with the “P4+1”.

The “P4+1” represent four UN Security Council permanent members -- Britain, China, France and Russia -- along with Germany. 

These nations are the remaining parties to the 2015 deal with Iran, after the US pulled out in 2018 under then president Donald Trump.

The deal, which gave Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear activities, has been on life support since the US withdrawal, which was followed by Washington reimposing biting sanctions on Tehran, which has incrementally rolled back its commitments.

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