LONDON, 13 November 2021, (TON): Britain has urged Iran to back a deal that would revive the agreement struck in 2015 that saw its nuclear program curbed in exchange for multilateral sanctions relief.

The US withdrew from the agreement in 2018, and relations between Washington and Tehran have declined sharply since.

After US President Joe Biden was elected this year, the two bitter rivals returned to the negotiating table to try once again to strike an agreement.

After a four-month hiatus following Iran’s presidential elections, the talks are set to resume in Vienna at the end of this month.

Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and lead negotiator, came to the UK Foreign Office to set out his country’s demands.

Middle East and North Africa Minister James Cleverly told his counterpart that Iran should take the opportunity of the new talks to conclude a deal that he said is already on the table.

The Iranian side remains focused on securing sanctions relief and ensuring that the deal cannot break down again.

Western countries want the talks to focus on curbing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, which is moving ever closer to the level required for a bomb.