Iran-Russia talks in Vienna as always constructive: envoy

"The Russian and the Iranian delegations at the #ViennaTalks on #JCPOA met today to discuss outstanding problems and the way ahead," wrote Mikhail Ulyanov in his Twitter account at the end of the Iran-Russia meeting on Sunday in Vienna.

"As always the consultations took place in a warm, constructive and businesslike atmosphere," he added.

In another tweet, he posted a photo of Iranian top negotiator Araghchi and him, saying, "In the course of the #ViennaTalks on #JCPOA we maintain regular and valuable contacts with the Head of the Iranian delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi."

The new round of the meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA and the continuation of negotiations in Vienna for the revival of the deal started in the Austrian capital on Saturday.

Since April, representatives from Iran and the P4+1 group of countries have been holding talks in Vienna aimed at revitalizing the JCPOA and bringing the US back to compliance. The US has sent a delegation to Vienna but it is not attending the JCPOA Joint Commission talks directly as Washington is no longer a party to the deal. It has, however, held separate talks with the other parties to the JCPOA.

Under former president Donald Trump, the US left the JCPOA in 2018 and returned the sanctions that had been lifted against Tehran as part of the agreement. US President Joe Biden has said Washington is willing to return to the pact if Tehran first suspends its countermeasures taken in response to US violations and reimposition of sanctions.

Iran says the onus is on the US to revive the deal as it was Washington, not Tehran, that left the internationally recognized accord in defiance of global criticism.

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