Iran’s deputy negotiator Ali Bagheri speaks during a news conference in Almaty April 5, 2013. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

i24 News – Iran is ready to hold direct talks with European parties to a 2015 nuclear pact, Iranian Press TV quoted an unnamed source as saying on Wednesday as Tehran’s top nuclear negotiator visited Brussels to discuss a resumption of stalled nuclear talks.

“Iran has formally voiced preparedness for direct talks with the three European parties to the nuclear deal,” the source told Press TV. “Iran invited the three states for visits to Tehran or offered trips to the trio’s respective capitals for such talks, but it has received no response so far.”

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, is in Brussels for a second meeting this month with Enrique Mora, a European Union official who coordinates nuclear talks between Tehran and six powers.

Negotiations began in April on reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that former US president Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018 in favor of reimposing punishing sanctions.

Since 2019, Iran has been violating the terms of the JCPOA but says it will come into compliance when the sanctions are lifted.

The talks in Vienna involved Iran and the so-called 4+1 — the four permanent member countries of the United Nations Security Council (France, the United Kingdom, Russia and China) plus Germany.

The United States is also a member of the Security Council but is participating indirectly in the discussions.

The Vienna talks stalled in June, two days after the election to president of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi.

The US and other Western powers have been urging Iran to return to the negotiating table since the talks were put on hold.