US urges Iran to return to Vienna nuclear talks

State Department officials believe an "imminent" return to indirect talks in Vienna is necessary to revive the Iran nuclear deal because the process cannot "drag out' indefinitely.

Department spokesman Ned price told reporters Thursday "this is not a process that can drag out or that can be dragged out. We are firmly of the belief that we need to work quickly. We need to work with alacrity and a great deal of speed to see to it."

"We have made very clear that we are prepared, willing and able to return to Vienna as soon as we have a partner to negotiate with indirectly, Price said.

While Iran has said it is ready to rejoin the talks, it has not yet offered a date for a resumption, named a negotiating team or indicated that it is willing to pick up where the negotiations left off in June, according to the officials.

Also, ahead of meetings between U.S. and Mexican officials on Friday Price said the United States believes the Merida Initiative, a security cooperation agreement with Mexico is "due for an updated look."

Price said, "this will really be one of the core elements of the discussions tomorrow."

Meanwhile on Friday an Egyptian delegation is scheduled to hold meetings with U.S. officials on ongoing concerns about human rights in Egypt.

Recently President Joe Biden's national security adviser held talks with Egypt's president which focused on regional tensions and the ties between Washington and its Mideast ally.

The meeting in Cairo with Jake Sullivan came as the Biden administration presses Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi's government to stop his crackdown on dissent.

The two sides discussed Egypt's human rights strategy, and officials from the U.S. delegation highlighted the importance the White House sees of the el-Sissi government improving its record on the matter.