US negotiators prepare for new round of Iran nuclear talks – Bloomberg

London (Quantum Commodity Intelligence) – US negotiators are prepared to return for a seventh round of indirect talks with Iran on restarting the 2015 nuclear deal once the leadership in Tehran is ready, reported Bloomberg, citing a senior US administration official.

President Joe Biden's negotiating team, led by Iran envoy Robert Malley, could return to talks in Vienna as early as next week, though that date might be pushed back, according to the official.

Round six of the talks ended in deadlock last weekend, although both sides reported progress.

But a report Wednesday citing an Iranian official saying that sanctions on Iran had been lifted was quickly dismissed and largely ignored by the market.

Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post said Wednesday the US administration wanted to delay the start of the next round of talks to hear from Israel's new government on the issue.

The newspaper said the administration believes it's worth delaying talks to better cooperate with Israel.

Iran's president-elect Ebrahim Raisi said earlier this week his priorities would be to improve ties with regional neighbours and revive the 2015 nuclear deal, but ruled out any meeting with US President Joe Biden. 

Speaking at his first press conference since the election, Raisi told national and international media, "we support the negotiations that guarantee our national interests. America should immediately return to the (2015) deal and fulfil its obligations under the deal."

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs to its nuclear program. Raisi is himself under US sanctions.