Iranian, Russian negotiators meet in Vienna

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The Russian and Iranian delegations to the latest round of nuclear talks in the Austrian capital, Vienna, met for the second time on Friday to discuss the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The team of Iranian negotiators, led by Ali Bagheri Kani, landed in the Austrian capital on Wednesday to continue negotiating with the other parties to the JCPOA to revive the agreement and remove the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic.

Following the first meeting on Thursday between Bagheri Kani and top Russian negotiator Mikhail Ulyanov, the two met again on Friday.

The Russian diplomat explained that the situation was not totally clear to him, noting that all the parties to the accord were working on reaching a consensus about the agreement's final text.

Time will tell whether success is achievable in the talks, Ulyanov said, highlighting that seriousness was dominating the atmosphere of the negotiations.

"Met today with the Head of the delegation of #Iran at the Vienna Talks on JCPOA Dr. Bagheri Kani. As always, we had a frank, pragmatic and constructive exchange of views on ways and means of overcoming the last outstanding issues," Ulyanov tweeted following his meeting with the Iranian diplomat.

Met once again with the #EU team at the #ViennaTalks on the #JCPOA. pic.twitter.com/GqIiTPDaUJ

— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) August 5, 2022

The new round of talks, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said, will focus on the ideas proposed by the involved parties, including ideas Tehran proposed this week.

Reaffirming Iran's determination to reach a long-lasting agreement that would guarantee the Islamic Republic's rights and safeguard its interests, Kanaani voiced hope that the other parties would pave the way for effective progress in the talks through effective decision-making and giving special attention to outstanding issues.

Major powers and Iran were holding talks in Vienna with the aim of reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement and returning the United States to it following Washington's unilateral withdrawal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, who accompanied his decision with the imposition of harsh sanctions on Tehran.

In response, Iran gradually withdrew from its commitments under the JCPOA, seeing that the agreement was no longer binding.