Iranian official confirms progress in nuclear talks

A senior Iranian official on Saturday offered a cautiously upbeat assessment of progress in talks aimed at bringing the United States back into the 2015 nuclear deal, saying that a “new understanding” appears to be taking shape, according to The Associated Press.

Iran has been negotiating with the five powers that remain in the agreement — France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China — in Vienna over the past two weeks. An American delegation also has been in Vienna, but is not talking directly to Iran.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, on Saturday said the talks had entered a new phase, adding that Iran had proposed draft agreements that could be a basis for negotiations.

“We think that the talks have reached a stage where parties are able to begin to work on a joint draft. It seems that a new understanding is taking shape, and now there is agreement over final goals,” he said, according to AP.

”The path is better known, but it will not be easy path,” Araghchi added. “It does not mean that differences of views have come to the end.”

Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal in response to former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May of 2018.

It has continued to do so even as current US President Joe Biden has indicated a desire to return to the deal.

Iranian negotiator Abbas Araghchi announced on Tuesday that Iran would begin enriching uranium to 60% purity, its highest level to date in response to the blackout and explosion which occurred at the Natanz nuclear facility over the weekend.

The move would shorten Iran’s breakout time to being able to construct a nuclear weapon.

Despite Iran’s announcement on the uranium enrichment, the White House said on Tuesday it remains committed to nuclear negotiations with Iran.