US-Iran ready for indirect negotiations on nuclear deal

U.S. State Department spokesperson said that while the U.S. doesn’t anticipate an immediate breakthrough, "we believe this is a healthy step forward.

Talks on Iran's nuclear program would take place in Austria from April 6, on the other hand, Iran has rejected direct talks with the United States.

"We have agreed to participate in talks with our European, Russian and Chinese partners to identify the issues involved in a mutual return to compliance," spokesperson Ned Price said. "These remain early days, and we don’t anticipate an immediate breakthrough as there will be difficult discussions ahead. But we believe this is a healthy step forward."

"We do not anticipate presently that there will be direct talks between the United States and Iran through this process, though the United States remains open to them," Price added.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the virtual meeting was heard saying in the meeting that any “return by the U.S. to the nuclear deal does not require any negotiation and the path is quite clear.”

“The U.S. can return to the deal and stop breaching the law in the same way, it withdrew from the deal and imposed illegal sanctions on Iran,” Araghchi was quoted as saying.