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Iran opposes interim deal in 'complicated' Vienna talks

The Iranian negotiators appeared dogged in their demand for a full removal of US sanctions, rejecting reports that an interim deal is in the making.
Abbas Araghchi (C), political deputy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, is leaving the Grand Hotel Wien after the closed-door nuclear talks in Vienna on April 16, 2021, where diplomats of the EU, China, Russia and Iran hold their talks.

"There is no discussion whatsoever on an interim deal," declared Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, as Tehran and the remaining members of the Iran nuclear deal were resuming talks in Vienna on how to revive the accord.

Araghchi, who was also a senior member of the Iranian team during talks that culminated in the original deal in 2015, added that Tehran will only negotiate "the final step in the removal of the unjust US sanctions." He dismissed as "baseless" all the "rumors" about a step-by-step agreement.

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