Iran says 'optimistic' after EU proposal for nuclear deal

Iran said Monday it remains "optimistic" about a possible revival of the 2015 nuclear deal after the European Union tabled a proposal aiming for a compromise in the talks stalled since March.

"We remain optimistic that the negotiation process will lead us to a logical and reasonable outcome," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said at his weekly news conference.

The comment comes after EU foreign policy chief and coordinator of the nuclear talks between Iran and world powers, Josep Borrell, last Tuesday submitted a new draft text and urged the different sides of the negotiations to accept it or "risk a dangerous nuclear crisis".

Negotiations in Vienna began in April 2021 to restore the deal, but have stalled since March amid differences between Tehran and Washington on several issues.

The two sides negotiated indirectly through the European Union coordinator in a bid to bring the US back into the deal and to lift sanctions on Iran, on the basis that Tehran would return to its nuclear commitments.

Qatar hosted indirect talks at the end of June between the United States and Iran in a bid to get the Vienna process back on track, but those discussions broke up after two days without any breakthrough.

"The Iranian side has carefully reviewed the text and presented its views," Kanani said. "It is possible that in the near future we can reach a conclusion regarding the timetable for the negotiations."

"We will probably see a new round of negotiations," Kanani added, but noted that "it depends entirely on the willingness of the other side, especially the American side."