UN welcomes start of new talks on Iranian deal in Vienna

The UN welcomes the efforts by participants in the Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), to hold a new meeting in Vienna aimed to revive the accord, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters, Report informs referring to Sputnik International.

On April 6, Vienna will host an in-person meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA to discuss steps needed to fully restore the deal.

"We very much welcome the active efforts by all the JCPOA participants to hold a constructive dialogue and to use diplomacy regarding this important multilateral agreement," Dujarric said when asked what the United Nations expected from the upcoming gathering.

In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with the P5+1 group of countries comprising the US, China, France, Russia, and the UK plus Germany - and the EU.

The agreement required Iran to scale back its nuclear program and severely downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting an arms embargo five years after the deal's adoption.

In 2018, the US withdrew from the JCPOA and began imposing sanctions on Iran in violation of the agreement.