US to begin indirect talks with Iran as nuclear deal powers meet
But this time, in what could mark an important milestone in the effort to restore the 2015 accord, US negotiators will be present and holding indirect talks with the Iranians.
Working groups will formed among the participants, with European negotiators shuttling between the US and Iranian sides, the State Department in Washington said.
"These are early days," spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday. "We don't anticipate an early or immediate breakthrough, as these discussions we fully expect will be difficult."
"But we do believe that these discussions with our partners and, in turn, our partners with Iran is a healthy step forward," he said.
The US team will be Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley, who was named to the position by President Joe Biden in January.
Price said the US does not anticipate any face-to-face talks with the Iranians in Vienna, although "we remain open to them."
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week that direct talks were "unnecessary."
The aim of the consultations is to pave the way for the US to return to the agreement and to motivate Iran to comply with it again.
But progress has been stymied by both sides demanding that the other take the first step to return to compliance with the accord.
The round of talks between the remaining partners - Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - is the first dialogue with Iran since Biden took office in January.
Unlike his predecessor Donald Trump, Biden wants to revive the agreement.
The agreement is considered an important building block for arms control, as it is intended to prevent the Islamic Republic from building a nuclear weapon.
However, the promised economic cooperation with Iran in exchange for limiting its nuclear programme never materialized due to the unilateral withdrawal of the US from the deal under Trump.
Tehran responded to sanctions from the US by violating more and more conditions of the nuclear deal.
In the meantime, the country has considerably increased its uranium reserves, which are ultimately needed to build a bomb.
