No Break in Course of Nuclear Talks 

Negotiations on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal is a “process” which has maintained its continuity without any interruption, Iran’s top negotiator said. 
“The talks are a continuous course which is being pursued in interaction between the two sides and there is no need for media fanfare,” Ali Baqeri Kani said in an interview with IRNA. 
Indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States aim to restore the 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which curbed Iran’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. 
The JCPOA unraveled in 2018 when the US withdrew unilaterally and reimposed sweeping sanctions that prompted Tehran to react by rowing back on its nuclear commitments.
Talks in the Austrian capital Vienna have been stalled for months over final differences, although the exchange of messages is still underway through the European Union coordinator. 
“The reason why developments are not publicized is that issues are being pursued seriously,” Baqeri Kani said. 
The deputy foreign minister, who leads Iran’s negotiating team, also noted that Iran continues to stick with its “logical stance” which he said has gained acceptance. 
The Islamic Republic’s logic in the negotiations is that the cruel sanctions that have been reimposed by the “crazy” former US president Donald Trump must be rescinded completely, according to the diplomat. 
“The lifting of sanctions is our main purpose of negotiation.” 
He stressed that the current obstacles to Iran’s economic benefit need to be removed completely. 
The US accuses Iran of making demands that fall outside the scope of the JCPOA, which Tehran rejects. 
Highlighting Washington’s history of unfaithfulness, Iran demands guarantees that the US would not violate the deal under a new administration. 
American officials say they are not legally able to bind a future president. 
Tehran also wants the closure of investigations by the International Atomic Energy Agency into nuclear material that they claim have been found at old undeclared sites in Iran. 
Tehran rejects the reports, saying they are based on fabricated intelligence provided for political reasons. It also maintains that the questions are related to cases that had been already closed before the signing of the JCPOA.
Negotiations between Iran and the IAEA continue with the aim of settling the safeguards issue. Along this line, a visit by the agency’s director general is set to be arranged after the New Year holidays. 

No Permanent Readiness

Iran has repeatedly expressed readiness over the past weeks to conclude the talks based on the final draft that was drawn up during the course of talks. 
It has asserted, however, that this window of opportunity will not remain open forever. 
“[Iran’s] readiness will not be permanent and the ball is now in the western side’s court,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday. 
Tehran stresses that a deal can be finalized in short order should the western sides make the required political decisions to return to their commitments and make up for past mistakes. 
Russia’s top negotiator also approved in a recent tweet that it is now up to the West to revive the JCPOA. 
“Recently #Iran confirmed a number of times its readiness to conclude the #ViennaTalks on restoration of #JCPOA and rightly stated that the ball was in the Western court,” he said. 
This is while the US has been saying publicly that it has shifted focus from the nuclear talks to other developments, including the unrest in Iran and its alleged supply of arms to Russia. 
Iranian officials say despite such public statements, indirect contact continues between the two through diplomatic channels, and the US is vainly seeking to win more concessions by resorting to other schemes.