Iran talks chair sees new ‘sense of purpose’ as talks resume
Associated PressVIENNA — Negotiations between Iran and world powers aimed at salvaging a tattered 2015 nuclear deal resumed in Vienna on Thursday, with tensions high after Tehran made demands last week that European countries strongly criticized. The talks’ chairman said he detected “a renewed sense of purpose.” Diplomats from Britain, France and Germany had urged Tehran to come back with “realistic proposals” after the Iranian delegation made numerous demands last week that other parties to the accord deemed unacceptable. European Union diplomat Enrique Mora, who chaired Thursday’s meeting of all the deal’s remaining signatories — Iran, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — said afterward that he felt “a renewed sense of purpose on the need to work and to reach an agreement on bringing the back to life.” “Whether that will be confirmed and endorsed by negotiations on the details, we will see in the coming days,” Mora said, adding that the positive impression “has to be tested.“ He said that it is becoming “more imperative” with time to reach an agreement quickly. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said later Thursday the U.S. has “made clear to Iran that the only path out of sanctions is through nuclear compliance.” “If diplomacy cannot get on track soon, and if Iran’s nuclear program continues to accelerate, then we will have no choice but to take additional measures to further restrict Iran’s revenue-producing sectors,” Psaki said.