American officials have repeatedly emphasized that the ongoing talks in Vienna since early April regarding the revival of the Iranian nuclear agreement would not be easy and might take a long time. The statements of the chief Iranian negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have further confirmed this notion. In a brief statement to Iranian television on Monday night, he noted that the nuclear negotiations have reached a very complex point. He added, "We have reached the most contentious issues, and the negotiations have become complicated," but he did not specify what these disputed issues are between Iran and the P4+1 group.
Furthermore, Araghchi estimated that the current round (the fifth) would likely not be the last to reach an agreement, emphasizing the need for delegations to return to their capitals for consultation. A diplomatic source had indicated earlier to "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" that there is an increasing sentiment that this round will not be the last, pointing to major sticking points that cannot be resolved in Vienna. He explained, "The political decisions made in Tehran and Washington before returning for the fifth round were not sufficient," referring to the necessity for delegations to go back to decision-making capitals.
**Sanctions, Violations, and Uranium**
Regarding some of the sticking points, sources familiar with the talks informed Reuters that among the remaining issues on the negotiators' table is Iran's reversal of its multiple violations of the agreement's clauses, its enrichment of uranium with advanced centrifuges, and its production of uranium metal. An Iranian official also confirmed to Reuters that the issue of sanctions falls under these complications, stating, "This is one of the fundamental issues that has slowed down the talks. All sanctions imposed by former President Trump, whether nuclear or non-nuclear, must be lifted."
**Remaining Issues Are Complex**
For his part, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, who heads the Russian delegation in the nuclear negotiations, Mikhail Ulyanov, pointed to the difficulties of the remaining issues. In a tweet late Monday/Tuesday, commenting on the chief Iranian negotiator's statements, he said, "The areas of disagreement have significantly reduced during the Vienna talks regarding the nuclear agreement, but Mr. Araghchi is correct; the remaining sticking points are somewhat complicated." He also stressed that the negotiating delegations in the Austrian capital need a "highly creative and responsible approach to find solutions."
**Increasing Complexity**
In addition to these already complex issues, a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) yesterday added to the complexity, especially after the agency expressed concern regarding the status of several undisclosed Iranian nuclear sites, while Tehran continues to accumulate its stockpile of enriched uranium, according to two reports seen by AFP on Monday. It is worth noting that the IAEA Board of Governors will discuss these reports next week, while major powers continue their meetings in the Austrian capital in an attempt to revive the international agreement signed in 2015 aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
