Iran wants Biden to show goodwill by lifting sanctions prior to nuclear deal

Negotiations have stalled as Tehran and Washington blame each other for failing to make the necessary moves to settle remaining issues

The US and Iran remain at odds over the returning to the 2015 nuclear agreement. Reuters

US President Joe Biden should lift some sanctions on Iran to show his goodwill towards reviving the nuclear deal with Tehran, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday.

Iran and the US have engaged in indirect talks in Vienna over the past year to revive the 2015 agreement, which Washington withdrew from in 2018 under Donald Trump, US president at the time.

Iran has subsequently breached the deal by increasing its nuclear programme.

Negotiations have now stalled as Tehran and Washington blame each other for failing to take the necessary political steps to settle remaining issues.

"If Biden has intentions to lift sanctions and return to the nuclear deal, he should issue an executive order to show his goodwill instead of applying sanctions on natural and legal persons in Iran," Mr Amirabdollahian said.

"On multiple occasions, we have told Americans they should bring forward one or two practical points prior to any agreement, for example by releasing some of Iran's assets withheld in foreign banks."