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Iran, EU to discuss US return to nuclear deal

The Biden administration has called the initiative a 'welcome step'

Iran-Hassan-Rouhani-Yazd-AFP Iran president Hassan Rouhani delivering a speech to a crowd in the central city of Yazd | AFP/IRNA

European nations have said that the EU and members from the 2015 JCPOA deal including Britain, China, Iran and Russia would meet virtually to discuss possibilities of the US returning to the nuclear deal on Thursday. After former US president Donald Trump pulled the US out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, the US and Iran have been at loggerheads with the US imposing trade sanctions on the latter and Iran increasing its uranium enrichment capacities, beyond what was permitted in the deal.

The Biden administration has called the initiative a 'welcome step'. Washington has been wanting to set in motion, talks with Iran for both sides to resume compliance with the deal, under which, economic sanctions would be removed in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear program. The economic sanctions on Iran by the Trump administration has hampered Tehran from importing food, medicine and COVID-19 vaccines. 

Diplomatic sources have said that Britain, France and Germany had already held talks with Iran on Monday, a Reuters report reads. Iran and the US, have been communicating indirectly via European nations and are yet to agree to meet about reviving the deal. France's foreign ministry spokeswoman said that European powers were working closely with Russia and China to find a solution to the deadlock and had also been talking with Iran and the US. 

Biden has expressed his keenness to rejoin the nuclear deal. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said his country had seen no serious efforts from the US. Reportedly, earlier this week, the Biden administration's proposal of some sanctions relief for Iran halting its uranium enrichment to 20 per cent was shot down. 

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