Russia, China say Iran talks to resume next week, see progress

The deal's remaining parties - Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia - agreed on Tuesday to form two expert-level groups whose job is to marry lists of sanctions that the United States could lift with nuclear obligations Iran should meet. "All parties have narrowed down their differences and we do see the momentum for gradually evolving consensus," Wang Qun, China's ambassador to the U.N. atomic watchdog, told reported after the meeting, adding that the working groups and senior diplomats would intensify their discussions next week.

Envoys from China and Russia to the Iran nuclear talks said on Friday there had been progressing in efforts to bring Iran and the United States back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal and that all sides would reconvene next week.

"The #JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) participants took stock of the work done by experts over the last three days and noted with satisfaction the initial progress made," Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's envoy to the U.N. atomic watchdog, said on Twitter. "The Commission will reconvene next week in order to maintain the positive momentum."

Neither the United States nor Iran expects fast breakthroughs in the talks that began in Vienna on Tuesday, with European and other diplomats acting as intermediaries because Iran rejects face-to-face talks for now. The deal's remaining parties - Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia - agreed on Tuesday to form two expert-level groups whose job is to marry lists of sanctions that the United States could lift with nuclear obligations Iran should meet.

"All parties have narrowed down their differences and we do see the momentum for gradually evolving consensus," Wang Qun, China's ambassador to the U.N. atomic watchdog, told reported after the meeting, adding that the working groups and senior diplomats would intensify their discussions next week. Former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in return for curbs to its nuclear program. He reimposed U.S. sanctions, prompting Iran in turn to violate the accord's atomic limits.

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