TEHRAN: A senior Iranian security official expressed cautious hope about progress in Vienna talks aimed at renewing the 2015 nuclear deal, calling for "balance" in the parties' promises.
"Despite the modest progress in the Vienna discussions, we are still far from striking the necessary balance in the parties' promises," Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani tweeted on Sunday. "Political decisions in Washington are prerequisites for striking a proper balance of obligations," he explained.
In July 2015, Iran and world powers concluded a nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In May 2018, however, former US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the accord and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.
Eight rounds of discussions between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties have been held in the Austrian city since April 2021, according to sources.
On Friday, the US government announced that sanctions against Iran's civilian nuclear programme will be lifted, allowing international nuclear cooperation initiatives to proceed.
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