US prepared to lift sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with nuclear deal

The United States is prepared to remove sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, including those that are inconsistent with the 2015 pact, the US State Department said on Wednesday, without providing details.

"We are prepared to take the steps necessary to return to compliance with the JCPOA, including by lifting sanctions that are inconsistent with the JCPOA," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. He was referring to the pact formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Diplomats from major powers and the European Union met separately on Wednesday with Iran and the United States to discuss what sanctions Washington might remove and what nuclear curbs Tehran might observe in an effort to bring both back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, a US official said.

Longtime foes the United States and Iran have said they do not expect quick breakthroughs in the talks that began in Vienna on Tuesday, with European and other diplomats as intermediaries because Tehran rejects face-to-face talks for now.

Former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 deal, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in return for curbs to its nuclear program, and he reimposed US sanctions, prompting Iran to violate the accord's atomic limitations.

The deal's remaining parties. Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia, agreed on Tuesday to form two expert-level groups whose job is to marry lists of sanctions that the United States could lift with nuclear obligations Iran should meet.

Diplomats said the working groups, which are chaired by the European Union and exclude the United States, met on Wednesday. A US official said on condition of anonymity that the US delegation in Vienna had been briefed on the discussions.

(With inputs from agencies)