Iran cites ‘good progress’ in nuclear talks

Iran on Monday cited “good progress” in talks aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement with the West.

“So far, we had good progress,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani told reporters in Tehran.

“But negotiations are a totality and there should be agreement on all issues. As long as there is no [overall] agreement, we cannot say we have reached a deal…although remaining issues in terms of percentage [of all issues] are small, but they are important,” he added.

The spokesman said the Americans have not replied to Iran’s latest response to the latest European Union proposal for a nuclear agreement.

“We can speak about whether the negotiations were fruitful once the European Union announces it has received a response from the Americans. So far, this has not happened,” Kanaani added.

The Iranian spokesman insisted that the Europeans and Americans need to reach a nuclear deal more than Tehran.

Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions as part of a "maximum pressure campaign" on Tehran.

Iran retaliated by stepping back from its nuclear-related commitments under the deal. Tehran has since exceeded thresholds on the enrichment of uranium, as well as the amount it is allowed to possess under the pact.