WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley will visit Moscow and Paris this week for talks with Russian and European officials on Iran’s nuclear program, the State Department said on Tuesday.
The talks will cover “Iran’s nuclear program and the need to quickly reach and implement an understanding on a mutual return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” the State Department said in a statement, referring to Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with major powers.
Former President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal, under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions. Tehran responded to the reimposition of U.S. sanctions by violating many of the limits. Indirect talks on reviving the deal last took place on June 20.
“The focus of this trip is really on where we are in terms of Iran’s nuclear program and the JCPOA negotiations, which have been interrupted for the last 2-1/2 months,” said a U.S. official on condition of anonymity.
“We wanted to consult with various partners about the best pathway forward in light of the fact that we still don’t know when talks would resume and Iran’s nuclear program continues to advance.”
(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Peter Cooney)
