‘Clock is ticking’ in Vienna talks to break US and Iran’s nuclear deadlock

The US and Iran were “walking on thin ice” as nuclear talks resumed in Vienna in the shadow of Tehran’s new enrichment plans, Austria’s foreign minister said.

Negotiations on a possible US return to the 2015 nuclear deal continued on Thursday between Iran and signatories Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China.

European diplomats were poised to shuttle between the Iranians and a US delegation at a separate hotel.

Iran raised the stakes on Tuesday by announcing that it would increase uranium enrichment to 60 per cent after an alleged sabotage attack on its Natanz nuclear plant.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told OE1 radio that “the pressure on both sides is enormous”.

“They know that they are walking on thin ice and that the clock is ticking loudly,” he said.

“They are very aware of their responsibility and it is clear that there are forces on all sides who have an interest in seeing these negotiations fail.

“But I have the understanding that the commitment is there from both sides to make progress. It is perhaps the last diplomatic rescue effort.”

Enrique Mora, an EU official leading the talks, said diplomats were “ready to advance our talks” despite “very challenging events and announcements over the past days”.

A first round of talks in the Austrian capital last week was described as constructive.

Mr Schallenberg said that diplomats “really need to find a deal by May”, before Iranian elections in June.

He said that Iran’s “breakout time” – the period needed to acquire enough material for a nuclear weapon – was only a few months.

“What we would then see is an arms race in the Gulf region and that would have massive effects on security in all of Europe, including in Austria,” he said.

Tehran denies seeking to obtain nuclear weapons and says that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.

The 2015 deal sought to limit Iran’s nuclear activity in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. But the US pulled out of the pact under Donald Trump’s presidency in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Iran has since repeatedly breached the limits it agreed to under the deal, including on uranium enrichment, which it agreed to limit to 3.67 per cent.

It has now “almost completed preparations” to enrich uranium to 60 per cent, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said.

Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said the events of the past few days “added urgency to the talks” and “reminded both parties that the status quo is a lose-lose situation”.

US President Joe Biden’s government is working to restore the deal, but the talks are expected to last for months.

The US denied involvement in the Natanz incident, which Iran blamed on Israel.

Washington is “very openeyed about how this will be a long process”, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

“It’s happening through indirect discussions, but we still feel that it is a step forward.”

Britain, France and Germany expressed “grave concern” over the most recent enrichment move, while rejecting “all escalatory measures by any actor”.

Mikhail Ulyanov, the Russian envoy, said the deal was the “only viable solution that can bring the Iranian nuclear programme back to the agreed parameters”.