Iran nuclear deal: US agrees to join talks 'at critical moment' - BBC News

The US has agreed to take part in talks involving Iran and world powers with a view to reviving a landmark nuclear deal.

Iran vowed to limit its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of economic sanctions under the 2015 deal.

But former President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018, leading Iran to roll back commitments.

Now the US has expressed intent to rejoin the deal under President Joe Biden.

On Thursday, the Biden administration made its firmest pledge yet to re-engage with Iran over the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

State department spokesman Ned Price said the US had accepted an invitation from the European Union to meet Iran for talks.

Senior EU diplomat Enrique Mora, who offered to convene the talks, said this was a "critical moment" for the deal.

Iran has not formally responded to the resumption of talks proposed by the EU.

But in a tweet, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested the country would only comply with the deal fully once US sanctions had been lifted.