Accord nears collapse Iran N-deal parties meet

VIENNA: The remaining signatories to the faltering Iran nuclear deal began crunch talks in Vienna on Friday with questions over the survival of the landmark agreement after Tehran vowed to continue to breach the deal’s limits on its nuclear programme.

Envoys from Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and Iran are taking part in the meeting, which is the first time the six parties gather in this format since July. Since May, Iran has taken a series of measures, including stepping up uranium enrichment, in breach of the 2015 deal, with another such move likely in early January.

Iran insists that under the agreement it has the right to take these measures in retaliation for the US’s withdrawal from the deal in 2018 and reimposition of crippling sanctions.

Since last month, European members have in turn begun raising the possibility of triggering the so-called "dispute resolution mechanism" foreseen in the accord, which could lead to the resumption of UN sanctions on Iran.