Iran says resolving outstanding issues in Vienna talks

Iran's chief negotiator to the Vienna talks says Iran and the five remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement are resolving the outstanding issues.

Ali Bagheri Kani made the remarks while speaking to reporters on Saturday after meetings with representatives of the P4+1 group of countries -- Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, IRNA reported.

The chief negotiator made the comments as diplomatic efforts are continuing in the Austrian capital to secure the removal of all US sanctions imposed on Tehran following its unilateral withdrawal from the deal three years after its conclusion.

He added that the talks aimed at removing the US sanctions are advancing and moving forward.

Following talks with the Iranian lead negotiator, diplomats of the P4+1 countries reportedly held a meeting with the US representative and discussed the latest developments pertaining to the Vienna talks.

Iran and the P4+1 group of countries resumed talks in Vienna on Monday after the parties took a three-day break for the New Year. The US is not allowed to directly attend the talks due to its pullout in 2018 from the landmark deal with Iran.

The eighth round of the Vienna talks began on December 27 with a focus on the removal of all US sanctions. The US is not allowed to directly attend the talks due to its pullout in 2018 from the landmark deal with Iran.

During the previous round of the talks, the first under Iran’s new President Ebrahim Raeisi, Iran presented new proposals at the negotiating table to help the talks move forward and later criticized the European signatories of the JCPOA for failing to follow suit and remaining passive.

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