Negotiations in Vienna aimed at reviving the Iran nuclear deal are to be suspended Friday, Iranian media said, as European diplomats expressed "disappointment and concern" at the latest proposals from Iran.

The semi-official ISNA news agency said the talks would "most likely" resume on Monday but French President Emmanuel Macron warned there could be a longer break in the talks, which resumed only on November 29 after a five-month break.

Iran said it has submitted two draft proposals for the nuclear agreement, which has been in tatters since the US withdrew in 2018.

"After the handing over of the text of the Iranian proposal to the P4+1 group (Britain, China, France and Russia plus Germany) and the European Union, a meeting of the joint committee of the nuclear deal will be held on Friday," said Iran's official news agency IRNA.

"This meeting was requested by the European side before its representatives return to their capitals to review the text proposed by Iran," the news agency added.

- European 'disappointment' -

Senior diplomats from the E3 group of Britain, France and Germany Friday expressed "disappointment and concern after thoroughly and carefully analysing Iranian proposed changes to the text negotiated during the previous six rounds", which took place earlier this year.

And speaking on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, just across the Gulf from Iran, the French president said it "should not be excluded" that this round of talks "does not reopen swiftly".

On Thursday, Iran's lead negotiator Ali Bagheri said the proposals concerned two main issues facing the 2015 accord known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

"The first document sums up the Islamic republic's point of view concerning the lifting of sanctions, while the second is about Iran's nuclear actions," Bagheri told state television.

"Now the other side must examine these documents and prepare itself to hold negotiations with Iran based on these documents."

In a telephone call with EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the talks were going well "but slowly on all tracks".

"We think that a good agreement is possible but that requires a change of approach by certain parties who must drop their threatening language and opt for texts focused on cooperation, mutual respect and results," the minister said.

However, in comments likely to please his Gulf hosts but anger Iran, Macron said a broader framework might benefit the talks on bringing Washington back into the deal.

"I think everyone is conscious of the fact that not talking, not trying to find a new framework on both nuclear and regional issues, weakens everybody and is a factor in increasing confliction," the French president said.

"It is also important to reengage a slightly broader dynamic and involve regional powers as well," he added.

"It is difficult to reach an agreement if the Gulf states, Israel and all those whose security is directly affected are not involved."

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called for an "immediate cessation" of the nuclear talks, accusing Iran of "nuclear blackmail".

In a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Bennett called instead for "concrete measures" to be taken against the Islamic republic.

The talks had resumed in the Austrian capital on Monday after Iran paused them in June following the election of ultraconservative President Ebrahim Raisi.

The goal of the JCPOA is to make it practically impossible for Iran to build an atomic bomb, while allowing it to pursue a civilian nuclear programme. Iran has always denied wanting a nuclear arsenal.

US heaps blame on Iran for stalled nuclear talks
Washington (AFP) Dec 3, 2021 - The United States hit out at Iran on Friday, saying nuclear talks between the Islamic republic and world powers had stalled because Tehran "does not seem to be serious" about returning to the table.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Washington would not let its adversary prolong talks while continuing to advance its nuclear ambitions, and would pursue "other options" if diplomacy failed.

The rebuke came as diplomats paused a seventh round of international talks aimed at reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, with US and European participants voicing concern after five days of negotiation.

"What we've seen in the last couple of days is that Iran right now does not seem to be serious about doing what's necessary to return to compliance, which is why we ended this round of talks in Vienna," Blinken told a virtual conference of world leaders.

"But the window is very, very tight because what is not acceptable, and what we will not allow to happen, is for Iran to try to drag out this process while continuing to move forward inexorably in building up its program."

Blinken's assessment was echoed by President Joe Biden, whose spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the first six rounds had "made progress," but that "Iran's approach this week was not, unfortunately, to try to resolve the remaining issues."

Psaki said Iran had "started this new round of negotiations with a new round of nuclear provocations" reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

- 'Time is running out' -

She also blamed Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, for unilaterally pulling the United States out of the deal, sparking a "dramatic and unprecedented expansion" of Iran's nuclear program.

Biden has said he wants to re-enter the deal, and the United States has been participating in this week's talks indirectly.

The landmark accord -- initially agreed between Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and the United States -- began unravelling in 2018 when Trump pulled out and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to start exceeding limits on its nuclear program the following year.

"Tehran is walking back almost all of the difficult compromises crafted after many months of hard work," said senior diplomats from the "E3" grouping of Britain, France and Germany.

Delegations will now return home before talks resume in the Austrian capital next week "to see whether gaps can be closed or not," the diplomats said.

The E3 "remain fully committed to a diplomatic way forward," they added, but stressed that "time is running out."

The talks are aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, which was aimed at putting curbs on Iran's nuclear program to ensure it couldn't develop an atomic weapon, in exchange for sanctions relief for Tehran.

Iran has always insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful.

-'Nuclear blackmail'-

Blinken had already issued a warning about the prospects for an agreement, arguing that it was "not too late for Iran to reverse course."

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had used a call with Blinken to call for the "immediate cessation" of the nuclear talks, accusing Iran of "nuclear blackmail."

The talks had resumed in Vienna on Monday after Iran paused them in June following the election of ultraconservative President Ebrahim Raisi.

During this week's talks, Iran submitted two draft proposals on sanctions lifting and nuclear-related measures, presenting them as evidence "of our serious will to reach an agreement."

But European diplomats said there was "no path forward" based on the offer.

The talks could resume in the middle of next week but speaking on a trip to the Gulf, French President Emmanuel Macron hinted that there could be a longer break before negotiators reconvene.

In a telephone call with EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the talks were going well "but slowly on all tracks."

Speaking after the end of the latest talks, China's ambassador to the UN in Vienna, Wang Qun, struck a more positive note, saying that "all parties have re-engaged themselves in very substantive terms."

He told reporters outside the Palais Coburg hotel where the talks have been taking place that he hoped the pause in talks "will help to provide further political impetus to the negotiations."

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Iran: Nuclear deal 'within reach' if West shows goodwill, ball in US court
Tehran (AFP) Dec 2, 2021
Iran's top diplomat said Thursday that an agreement to revive his country's nuclear deal with world powers was "within reach" but it depended on the goodwill of the West. The ball is now in Washington's court, the Islamic republic said. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Twitter that negotiations in Vienna were "proceeding with seriousness" and the removal of sanctions was a "fundamental priority". The talks resumed on Monday after Iran paused them in June following the electi ... read more