Negotiations to restore the Iranian nuclear deal with world powers went on "a pause," the European Union's foreign policy chief said Friday, blaming "external factors."
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Josep Borrell made the comments as a roadmap is apparently near for how the United States could rejoin the accord that it unilaterally withdrew from in 2018, thus limiting Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.
A pause in #ViennaTalks is needed, due to external factors.
A final text is essentially ready and on the table.
As coordinator, I will, with my team, continue to be in touch with all #JCPOA participants and the U.S. to overcome the current situation and to close the agreement.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 11, 2022
"A pause in the Vienna talks is needed, due to external factors. A final text is essentially ready and on the table," Borrell wrote on Twitter.
He most likely referred to Russia's recent demands of relief from sanctions targeting Moscow over its assault on Ukraine as the "external factors" that caused the disruption.
"The real issue for this pause here is what Russia has thrown on the table, which is essentially a grenade in the middle of the negotiations," said Henry Rome, deputy head of research at the Eurasia Group who has been following the talks, according to AP.
Last week, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for guarantees that sanctions imposed on Moscow would not hinder its relationship with Tehran.
Pause in #ViennaTalks could be a momentum for resolving any remaining issue and a final return.
Successful conclusion of talks will be the main focus of all.
No external factor will affect our joint will to go forward for a collective agreement. https://t.co/pAb0lzGjhd
— Saeed Khatibzadeh | سعید خطیبزاده (@SKhatibzadeh) March 11, 2022
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said the pause "could be a momentum for resolving any remaining issue and a final return" to the JCPOA nuclear deal.
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"Successful conclusion of talks will be the main focus of all," he wrote on Twitter. "No external factor will affect our joint will to go forward for a collective agreement."
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
