TEHRAN -- Iran and other remaining signatories of their 2015 deal have made significant progress in talks to remove U.S. sanctions on the Islamic Republic but important issues still need to be resolved, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday,
Representatives of Iran, China, Russia, Germany, Britain and France have negotiated in Vienna since April to work out steps that Washington must take on sanctions to return to full compliance with the nuclear pact.
“Each round of talks in Vienna could have been the final round. We should not rush. We have made significant progress but key issues remain,” Saeed Khatibzadeh told a televised weekly news conference. “There has been no stalemate on the Vienna talks.”
President Joe Biden has said Washington will return to the pact if Tehran first resumes compliance with its strict limits on uranium enrichment, but the Islamic Republic says the U.S. should first remove all its sanctions on the country as the party which has reneged on its obligations.
“All sanctions should be lifted and then it should be verified by Iran...then we will reverse our nuclear steps,” Khatibzadeh said.
Reuters, quoting what it called regional diplomat briefed by Western officials involved in the talks, said that “an agreement that would clarify the obligations of Tehran and Washington to move forward” will be announced in Vienna this week.
Khatibzadeh said, “The United States has to decide once and for all whether it wants to continue the legacy of the previous administration.”
“We proceed with the negotiations in Vienna with necessary care and meticulousness. Every round could have been the last, but because there remained some issues, they were extended to the next,” he said.
“If the remaining key issues are resolved, this can be the last round, otherwise, the talks will continue,” said Khatibzadeh.
Asked about U.S. threats to two Iranian naval vessels reportedly headed to Venezuela, Khatibzadeh said Iran has always been present in international waters and is entitled to such right under international law.

“No country can violate this right,” he warned.
On Saturday, American news website Politico reported that the U.S. national security community was monitoring two Iranian vessels whose ultimate destination might be Venezuela.
Citing three people familiar with the situation, Politico said the vessels have been heading south along the east coast of Africa.
Khatibzadeh warned the U.S. against any miscalculation, saying, “Those who are sitting inside glass houses should be careful.”