Iran’s Top Negotiator Says Nuclear Talks Remain ‘Positive’

"The main focus of the eighth round of talks was on the issue of lifting the sanctions, Baqeri said, adding that dialogues and interactions between Iran and the other sides continued on several issues.

After meeting with the European troika (representatives of the three parties to the JCPOA) and EU foreign policy chief Enrique Mora, Iran's top nuclear negotiator left Vienna for Tehran on Thursday.

Baqeri told reporters in front of the Coburg Hotel before leaving for Tehran that he will return to Vienna on Monday to resume the talks.

"On the issue of verification, discussions were held between the Iranian side and the joint commission's coordinator, and separate meetings were held with the three European nations," he said.

Ho also noted that the two parties communicated and achieved significant progress in the first few days of the eighth round, regarding the removal of the sanctions.

Baqeri expressed hope that more serious work on the issue of removing the sanctions would be pursued after the parties to the negotiations returned from the New Year holidays.

The ongoing round of talks – the eighth round – was originally set to be held after the New Year holiday, but the teams decided to reconvene between the two holidays as an indication of seriousness.

Almost all representatives of the participant countries had underscored the priority of removing the illegal sanctions against Iran, Baqeri told Iranian reporters, referring to the meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission on Monday evening in the Austrian capital.

It was agreed that the removal of the sanctions be put on the agenda in experts meetings and the joint meetings between Iran and the P4+1, he added.