The Biden government has indicated that it is possible to ease sanctions on critical elements of Iran’s economy, including oil and finance, which, according to the people familiar with the differences in nuclear talks, will help.
Despite the progress, senior diplomats have warned that weeks of difficult negotiations ahead of the 2015 nuclear deal lie ahead and progress is fragile. Talks in Vienna are hampered by domestic politics in Washington and Tehran and by Iran’s refusal to meet directly with the US
President Biden wants to return to the 2015 agreement after former President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018. The US decision to suspend the agreement and impose comprehensive sanctions on Iran has prompted Tehran to violate many of the key restrictions in the agreement and return to the agreement’s terms and limits for both sides.
Senior officials in Vienna concluded five days of talks this week, with delegations returning home before resuming negotiations next week. People involved in the talks say that progress has come as the US has more clearly outlined the contours of the sanctions relief it is prepared to provide.
Many of the sanctions are under Mr. Trump was instituted by U.S. terrorism authorities, and U.S. officials said earlier that they were prepared to consider it. But they did not specify which sanctions could be eased or which Iranian entities could be affected.