Iran, EU have agreed to resume stalled 2015 nuclear deal talks with US: Josep Borrell

Iran and the European Union agreed to resume the stalled nuclear talks with the United States, bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles told a press conference on Saturday after his visit to the Islamic Republic. The two counterparts Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and the EU’s Josep Borrell made the landmark announcement at a press conference.

Borrell indicated that the two sides held “long but positive” talk on reviving the stagnant negotiations with Washington in order to restore the 2015 nuclear accord in exchange for sanctions relief. 

“Whatever issue that can [negatively] impact Iran’s economic benefits will not be agreeable for Iran and the government of President Ebrahim Raisi," Amirabdollahian clarified at the press conference. 

“We hope, specifically, that the American side will this time realistically and fairly engage in committed and responsible acts towards reaching the final point of an agreement," he added. 

Talks with US come with 'high potential' of expanding trade: Borrell to Iran 

Borrell iterated that he supports the prospects of negotiations between the US and Iran, adding that it will help lift the US sanctions that come with a “high potential” of expanding trade and energy ties between the bloc and Tehran. 

“We will resume the talks on the JCPOA in the coming days, and the coming days mean coming days. I mean, quickly, immediately,” Borrell declared at a televised press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran.

The talks on the 2015 JCPOA have been ongoing in Vienna and were facilitated by the EU. But the negotiations were suspended in March. The 2015 nuclear deal with Iran curbed its atomic programmes in exchange for easing the economic sanctions. But the former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement unilaterally in 2018. 

According to Borrell, the negotiations “have to be finished, three months have passed,” and therefore the EU attempted to broker the talks between the two sides.

 “There are decisions that have to be taken in Tehran and in Washington. But we agreed today that this visit will be followed by the resumption of negotiations…to try to solve the last outstanding issues,” Borrell stressed during his address.

Iran's Amir-Abdollahian said that his country was “prepared to resume the talks in the coming days” but appealed to the US to take “responsible and committed actions” to ensure Iran is granted ease on the crippling sanctions and can gain the economic benefits from trade with other countries worldwide.