In this Nov 15, 2021 photo, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh speaks to media during a press conference in Tehran, Iran. (PHOTO / AFP)
TEHRAN – Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Friday confirmed "pause" in the Vienna nuclear talks and said the break would pave the way for a solution to the remaining issues.
"Pause in Vienna Talks could be a momentum for resolving any remaining issue and a final return," Khatibzadeh tweeted.
"Successful conclusion of talks will be the main focus of all," he said, adding that "no external factor will affect our joint will to go forward for a collective agreement."
READ MORE: Iran 'won't give up' on regional presence, nuclear program
Earlier on Friday, Josep Borrell, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, announced the break, saying that "a pause in Vienna Talks is needed, due to external factors."
The effective removal of sanction must not be affected by the US' excessive demands.
Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Foreign Minister, Iran
He did not specify the "external factors" but said that a final draft of the agreement is ready.
"As coordinator, I will, with my team, continue to be in touch with all JCPOA participants and the US to overcome the current situation and to close the agreement," he noted.
On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, "The effective removal of sanction must not be affected by the US' excessive demands.”
Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and major parties to the deal, in a bid to restore the 2015 nuclear deal.
ALSO READ: Iran calls JCPOA parties for immediate 'political decisions'
Over the past days, reports from Vienna suggested that the negotiators were "close" to an agreement with few key issues remaining which required "political decisions" of the parties.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks during a press statement at EU headquarters in Brussels, Feb 27, 2022. Borrell said on Friday that “a pause” was needed in ongoing talks over Iran's nuclear deal with world powers. (STEPHANIE LECOCQ, POOL PHOTO VIA AP, FILE)
In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council: China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States, plus Germany) and the European Union.
However, former US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the pact in May 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran. This prompted Iran to drop some of its nuclear commitments and advance its previously halted nuclear programs.
Since April 2021, Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties have held eight rounds of marathon talks in Vienna to restore the deal.