🧵Snr EU official to Brussels reporters, via @Hannahkaviani: “There is a shared sense of urgency to bring the JCPOA back on track. Delegations came to Vienna in good faith and this week’s extensive and constructive exchanges are encouraging. They brought everyone one step closer
“to the main goal, but there are many other steps ahead.”
“This is a rather complex, but necessary process. There needs to be clarity on what it takes and what is required to return to full and effective implementation of the deal. It will take some time” 2/3
“All delegations are determined to reconvene as soon as next week and continue this work” 3/3
thread, Senior State Department official on background call on the Iran deal talks in Vienna this week said on the whole they were productive and businesslike but they still have questions about Iran intent and willingness to take steps to come back into compliance. 1/
Snr State Dept official: If Iran sticks to the position that every sanction imposed since 2017 has to be lifted or there will be no deal, then we are heading for an impasse.
State official: Coming out of this week, it met expectations, but a question mark still hangs over the proceedings.
The parties will reconvene in Vienna next week midweek. The US team will be back.
clarifying what steps to come back into compliance
State spox Ned Price on Iran deal talks in Vienna, confirms what Iran's Araghchi said earlier : Expect the talks may resume in the coming days, potentially next week.
Says the talks have been constructive, businesslike, "a step forward."
I was struck that Price today & yesterday is taking pains to describe the talks in Vienna as technical, not strategic....Since Iran rejects the idea of "negotiating" with the US, I suspect this language is about seeing if can get Iran to agree to direct technical talks
Price: “These talks are indirect, and as a result, the mechanics of them can be cumbersome...these are very technical and complex issues. Again, these are not strategic talks, and that is in large part because the strategy...is clear...” diplomatic.substack.com/p/momentum-see…
“I think the result is better than anticipated, largely because the U.S. has changed strategy,” @vali_nasr said. “It put the lifting of sanctions on the table, which it had not done previously.” diplomatic.substack.com/p/momentum-see…
The issue of the sequencing of steps for a mutual US & Iran return to compliance is complex.
”If this is going to work, the only way forward is if both sides take steps simultaneously to end up together at the same destination on the same date,” @hrome2diplomatic.substack.com/p/momentum-see…
State spox on Vienna talks. His understanding still underway, doesn't anticipate providing live commentary. These are early days. Don’t anticipate any immediate breakthrough....Know will be tough talks. Know will be difficult discussions ahead
This is a healthy step forward. Allows us to move forward with what see as only path to achieve what Pres. biden and candidate Biden laid out:
That is a mutual return to compliance...
State's Ned Price: US team hopes to leave Vienna "with a better understanding of a roadmap of how we get to that end state." (check transcript)
got my first covid vaccine, at a month old CVS in Anacostia. One woman giving the vaccine. She was pretty exhausted. asked her if she wanted something, she asked for a juice, (she said I was the first person to ask). 1/
a check-out registrar said the line (they have been administering vaccine there since sunday) getting shorter each day. far as can tell, only cvs in district giving the vaccine. tried to find any option closer, but no luck.
Staff were all professional and helpful. But do not understand how @CVSinAction cannot have a second store in all of Washington, D.C. administering vaccine; and could not send a second person to administer it.
“Should anyone inquire about their relationships, one person said, Gaetz told the women to say that he had paid for hotel rooms and dinners as part of their dates.”
Just like his talking points to Axios the other day
“One of the women who had sex with both men also agreed to have sex with an unidentified associate of theirs in Florida Republican politics, according to a person familiar with the arrangement.”
“unidentified associate involved in Florida Republican politics”