The negotiators in charge of the Iranian nuclear file will meet in Vienna on Thursday after a months-long pause in an attempt to revive the nuclear agreement and stop the Iranian measures taken in this field. For the first time since last March, the parties that are still affiliated with this agreement, namely Iran, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, met with the indirect participation of the United States in order to revive the 2015 agreement that would prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Ellie Geranmayeh, an analyst at the European Council on International Relations, said that this new round of negotiations, launched in April 2021, "may allow a course correction and give the necessary impetus to reach the finish line." On his way to the Austrian capital, the Iranian chief negotiator wrote in a tweet, "I am heading to Vienna to advance the negotiations (...) The ball is in the US court to show maturity and act responsibly." The negotiations are taking place at the Coburg Palace under the supervision of the European Union Coordinator, Enrique Mora, who is charged with coordinating with the American delegation, which is not directly involved in the negotiations. - 'Deliberate aspirations' - And the American envoy, Robert Malley, who also went to Vienna, is staying in another hotel in the same neighborhood, as Tehran does not want direct contact with Washington. In a tweet announcing that he was on his way to Vienna, Mali sought to dampen expectations. "Our aspirations are deliberative, but the United States welcomes the efforts of the European Union and is ready to try to reach an agreement in good faith," he said. "It will become clear very soon whether Iran is ready for the same," he stressed. Iran and the powers affiliated with the agreement began discussions to revive it in April 2021 in Vienna, with the indirect participation of the United States and facilitated by the European Union. Although significant progress has been made in the negotiations, the talks were suspended last March, with points of disagreement remaining between Tehran and Washington, on which those concerned have not yet been able to bridge the gap.

AFP