Iran says visit of EU envoy will move nuclear talks ‘in right direction’

The EU’s co-ordinator in talks between Iran and world powers to restore a 2015 nuclear deal will visit Tehran this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

Enrique Mora has acted as an intermediary between the US and Iran during a year of onoff negotiations in Vienna to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Talks have been stalled since March and last month Iran called for a meeting to revive dialogue “as soon as possible”.

Mr Mora will meet Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh. “The agenda for talks in Tehran is nearly finalised,” he said.

Mr Khatibzadeh did not say when Mr Mora would arrive but Iranian media reported that he was expected to arrive in the country today.

The 2015 deal gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear projects. Tehran says its programme is for civilian use.

It was agreed on between Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members – China, Russia, the US, the UK and France – as well as Germany.

The US withdrew from the deal in 2018, under Donald Trump, and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to breach its commitments. In Vienna, Iran and the US have been engaged in negotiations indirectly through Mr Mora.

“Mora’s trip moves the talks in the right direction,” Mr Khatibzadeh said.

A sticking point is Iran’s demand that the US removes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from its terrorist list.