Jan Wolfe, Arshad Mohamed

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – Iran decided to abandon any agreements it made during talks to revive 2015’s nuclear deal with major power, but took other concessions and asked for more this week in indirect U.S-Iran negotiations, a top U.S. State Department official stated.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to say that Tehran’s position during these talks was disappointing not only the United States and their European allies, but also China, Russia and China, which are historically more supportive of Iran.

The official stated that while the United States wanted to revive the agreement, which Iran had agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions being lifted, time was short.

On Friday, the indirect U.S./Iran talks to save the deal ended in Vienna. European officials expressed dismay at Iran’s sweeping demands.

These talks took place with the first delegation sent by Iran’s antiwestern President Ebrahim Rashi, who was elected in June. His government stated that it required time to prepare for new talks following the six rounds of talks between April and June.

A senior U.S. official stated that Iran took the opportunity to increase its nuclear programme in “provocative ways” and to silence the U.N. nuke watchdog responsible for monitoring Iran’s deteriorating compliance to the accord.

In an attempt to open the doors to talks, the official stated that Iran is “the cause why there isn’t… a mutual back to compliance” with the original accord with Britain and China.

Tehran however has placed Washington the responsibility, noting that Trump, the former President, withdrew from the agreement in 2018. He also reimposed U.S. Sanctions. This led to Iran violating nuclear restrictions as early as 2019.

Iran was required to limit its uranium enrichment activities by 2015, which extended the period it needed to make enough material to create a nuclear weapon if it wanted to. This is an increase of around 2 to 3 months.

Iran claims it does not seek nuclear weapons and that its only goal is to control nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Although he said it was not clear whether Russia or China might increase their economic pressures on Iran should talks fall apart, he also suggested that they may be changing their position.

He said that the Iranians were also taken aback at the extent to which they had reversed its previous compromises, and doubled the amount of requests it made. To put it diplomatically, they share a feeling of disappointment.

According to the U.S., the official stated that he didn’t know the exact date of the next round of negotiations. Others had indicated next week. He also said that the important thing was Iran’s willingness and ability to negotiate.

American officials said that they will consider alternative options in the event of the failure to revive the agreement. This phrase is understood to also include military alternatives, though they are unlikely.

After residents heard a loud blast, the Iranian Air Defense Forces launched a missile in an exercise over Natanz on Saturday.