US confirms participation in nuclear deal meet, 'open' to talk with Iran

The United States on Friday confirmed its participation in the meeting on the Iran nuclear deal next week and offered to talk directly with Tehran. 

"These remain early days, and we don't anticipate an immediate breakthrough as there will be difficult discussions ahead. But we believe this is a healthy step forward," State Department spokesman Ned Price was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. 

"We do not anticipate presently that there will be direct talks between the United States and Iran through this process, though the United States remains open to them."

Earlier on Friday, the European Union (EU) announced an in-person meeting of all parties in Vienna of the 2015 nuclear deal, named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, from which the US under former president Donald Trump pulled off. 

Also read | Iran rejects meeting US at nuclear deal talks in Vienna

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif confirmed the Islamic Republic's presence in the meeting, but denied any meeting with the US, calling it "unnecessary". 

The meeting aimed to "rapidly finalise sanction-lifting and nuclear measures for choreographed removal of all sanctions, followed by Iran ceasing remedial measures," Zarif said. 

"No Iran-US meeting. Unnecessary," the Iranian foreign minister wrote on Twitter. 

US President Joe Biden has said that Washington would return to the nuclear accord if Tehran agrees to follow its commitments under the deal.

However, Iran has insisted on lifting off the sanctions imposed under Trump before beginning any negotiations.