The talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal in 2021 and 2022

The negotiations in Vienna, between Iran and the remaining parties to the agreement, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, sought to restore limits on Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for relief from sanctions.^[1][4] In October 2021, Iran's new foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, said Tehran would return to the talks only if the United States unfroze $10 billion of its funds as a sign of goodwill.^[5] The talks resumed in late November 2021 after a five-month pause, with Iran saying it would not return to the deal unless all sanctions were lifted.^[6][7] The United States said it was prepared to use other options if diplomacy failed and moved to tighten enforcement of its sanctions on Iran.^[8][9] After a break, the talks restarted on December 27, with Iran pressing for the right to export its oil.^[10][11] In January 2022 the State Department said the United States was prepared to meet Iran directly, after Tehran said it would consider doing so.^[12]

In February France's foreign minister said a decision was days away,^[4] and by early March the main parties indicated an agreement was close, until Russia, which had largely stood by Iran, raised demands of its own.^[2] Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to counter hostile actions by Iran whether or not a deal was reached,^[13] and in May Qatar's emir met Iran's president, Ebrahim Raisi, in Tehran as the talks deadlocked.^[14]

After the European Union's top diplomat pushed to break the deadlock, US and Iranian negotiators held indirect talks in Doha in late June, which ended without progress.^[15][16][17] A new round convened in Vienna in early August as Iran expanded its enrichment.^[3]