EU negotiator says Iran deal could be clinched in ‘next round’ of talks

A top European Union official predicted that an agreement to revive the Iran nuclear deal could be reached in the next round of negotiations.

Enrique Mora, chief coordinator of the talks, told reporters that “the most difficult decisions lie ahead” but that significant progress is being made while world powers talk in Vienna.

“I am sure that the next round will be the one in which we will finally get a deal,” Mora said Wednesday, according to Reuters. 

The vote of confidence followed a meeting of the remaining parties to the deal, consisting of Iran, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany, as well as the EU. 

European intermediaries have been facilitating indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to get both sides back into compliance with the Obama-era deal.

Then-President Trump in 2018 pulled the U.S. out of the deal, leading Iran to violate the limits the pact placed on its nuclear enrichment.

Iran is demanding that sanctions Trump imposed be lifted before any changes are made to its nuclear program, but the U.S. insists that sanctions will only be relieved once Tehran reduces its uranium enrichment.

Diplomats involved in the talks have expressed confidence that progress is being made in the negotiations, though none were as confident as Mora Wednesday. 

“Some progress has been made,” State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters. “This isn’t going to be a quick or easy process.”