Iran Halts Expert-Level N. Talks in Vienna

Iranian negotiators in Vienna halted nuclear talks with major world powers to return to Tehran for consultations after Washington blacklisted a dozen companies and individuals for evading US sanctions.

The negotiators had been discussing the implementation of a landmark interim accord agreed last month with the Group 5+1 (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany).

“The Iranian negotiators interrupted the talks with the G5+1 for consultations in Tehran,” a negotiator said on Thursday, the Iranian Mehr News Agency reported.

Under the interim deal reached in Geneva, Iran agreed to freeze parts of its suspect nuclear program for six months in return for some $7bln in relief from western sanctions.

The United States also agreed to refrain from slapping new sanctions on Iran, but senior administration officials argued that Thursday’s measures were taken as part of the existing sanctions regime against Tehran.

R.S