(Reuters) -Iran’s main focus in nuclear talks that resume in Austria on Monday will be the lifting of all U.S. sanctions in a verifiable process that guarantees Tehran’s unhindered ability to export its oil, Iran’s foreign minister said.

State media reports that negotiations with the world powers in order to save Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement, The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will resume in Vienna at 1800 GMT (1700 GMT).

“The most important issue for us is to reach a point where, firstly, Iranian oil can be sold easily and without hindrance,” Iranian media quoted Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as saying. 

“The money earned from oil (sales), is to be banked as foreign currency in Iranian Banks – in order for us to enjoy the full economic benefits set out in Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.”

Trump pulled out of the JCPOA in 2018 and placed severe economic sanctions on Tehran. Tehran responded one year later, by restarting and then increasing its enrichment uranium. This could lead to nuclear weapons.

Oil exports, Iran’s main revenue source, have plunged under the U.S. sanctions. Tehran is not able to disclose the data. However, assessments made based upon shipping and other sources show a decline from approximately 2.8 millions barrels per hour (bpd), which was in 2018. To as low as 200,000 BPD in 2018. A survey estimated that June’s exports averaged 600,000.

After a five month hiatus due to the election of Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline Iranian president, nuclear negotiations have not made much progress since their return last month.

“Today, there is an acceptable joint document on the negotiating table that we call the December 1 and December 15 documents,” Amirabdollahian said. He said that both documents were related to nuclear issues and U.S. sanctions.

“From today, our negotiations will start on the basis of this joint document. Guarantees and verification are among the issues on the agenda,” Amirabdollahian said.

The two Iranian draft texts submitted to Vienna by Iran on November 26th were updated versions of the ones that had been drawn under the former Iranian administration.

In exchange for lifting economic sanctions by the U.S. and EU, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment program under the 2015 agreement. Iran insists that its nuclear program serves only peaceful purposes.

Senior British, French, German and French diplomats expressed concern about the chances of an agreement being revived at the latest round of talks. Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Adviser said last week the U.S. was discussing with its partners timeframes to nuclear diplomacy. Additionally, he added that it is possible that current talks will be abandoned in a few weeks.

Saeed Khatibzadeh (Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson) said that Monday’s deadlines would be rejected by Iran. A source close to Iran’s team told Reuters that the delegation would stay in Vienna for as long as is needed.

Israel is Iran’s arch foe and has said that the biggest challenge in negotiations was to “prevent a nuclear Iran”.

“Israel is open to all deals,” Yair Lapid, Israeli Foreign Minister, told the Jerusalem Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday.

A good deal is good. “A deal that doesn’t allow true oversight over Iran’s nuclear program and Iranian money as well as the Iranian terror network are not acceptable to us.”

(mailto:dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.comAdditional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Nick Macfie)