EU foreign policy chief ‘less confident’ about closing Iran nuclear talks

BRUSSELS

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday he is “less confident” about the success of a compromise for reviving the Iranian nuclear deal.

Borrell told reporters that the positive outcome of the EU-mediated negotiations between Iran and the US on reactivating the nuclear deal is “in danger” and that the parties won’t be able to close the deal quickly.

He explained that the positions “diverge” based on the reactions he recently received, which he called “very worrisome.”

“I am less confident today than 28 hours before about the conversions of the negotiation process and about the prospect of closing the deal," he stated.

After a five-month break, negotiations resumed in the Austrian capital Vienna on Aug. 5 to revive the Iran nuclear by finding a compromise between Washington and Tehran.

As coordinator of the deal, Borrell presented a proposal on lifting US sanctions and ensuring Iran’s compliance with nuclear requirements.

As he told reporters, it was “the most balanced texts I can produce, taking into account all points of view.”

His draft received “positive feedback from our partners” but the positions didn’t converge during indirect talks through the EU coordinator, he added.

The Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, China, Russia, France, the UK, Germany, and the EU.

Under the agreement, Tehran committed to limit its nuclear activity to civilian purposes and in return, world powers agreed to drop their economic sanctions on Iran.

Then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to stop complying with the deal.

EU diplomacy, as coordinator of the deal, has made significant efforts to get Iran and the US back to the negotiating table since the beginning of the conflict.