Iran nuclear deal: Tehran, world powers resume ‘final round’ of talks

World powers resumed the latest round of talks to reach a final agreement between Iran and the United States over reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, Russia’s envoy to the United Nations in Vienna said in a tweet.

Mikhail Ulyanov said the fifth round of talks had resumed in the Austrian capital and there was an understanding among the countries involved that “the current round should be final”, according to his tweet.

Oil trade at stake

The talks in Vienna are being closely watched by energy traders trying to measure when the Persian Gulf nation — which holds the world’s fourth biggest oil and second biggest natural gas reserves — could resume exports. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani won backing from his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday, with the two leaders agreeing to deepen trade and energy links once a return to the 2015 accord is finalized.

“We’re optimistic that differences over some small details and operational affairs will be resolved in the not so distant days ahead,” Ali Rabiei, spokesman for the Iranian government, said Tuesday in Tehran. US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley struck a more cautious note before departing for the talks that are in their seventh week.

European diplomats originally sought to seal a return to the accord last week, however, the extension of a key monitoring pact between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran won an additional month to negotiate. After former President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal three years ago and unilaterally reimposed sanctions, Iran began to add nuclear capacities beyond those allowed under the agreement.

“This is an important outcome for China and the European Union,” Beijing’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday during a discussion at a Munich Security Conference event. “We are working hard to uphold this agreement and the authority of the UN Security Council resolution and stability in the Middle East.”