Iran nuke deal talks hit pause again as Tehran’s negotiator heads home for consultations

Talks being held for reviving 2015 Iran nuclear deal have again hit the pause button as the crucial meeting had to be adjourned on Friday.    

After a round, which witnessed a hike in tensions as Iran raised new demands, the negotiator from Tehran returned home for consultations.   

The talks look to salvage deal with world powers.   

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According to European diplomats, it was ‘a disappointing pause'. The negotiators in Vienna seem to be 'rapidly reaching the end of the road’. But do point to have 'some technical progress’ so far.   

Expressing frustration, a senior US Official involved in the talks, on condition of anonymity, said, “It was better than it might have been, it was worse than it should have been, which leaves us in an uncertain position as to whether we can get to where we need to go in the short time that we have left to get there."    

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The negotiators look to resume quickly, but no date has been confirmed yet. Wan Qun, China's chief negotiator, said the talks will 'resume hopefully before the end of the year’.    

The European Union diplomat, Enrique Mora, who also chaired the talks, said, “I hope it will be during 2021”.   

(With inputs from agencies)