Arak Heavy Water Nuclear Reactor, IranWASHINGTON Jan 25A split is visible within the US team that is negotiating to restore the nuclear deal with Iran, some members have even left its ranks, the Wall Street Journal writes, citing sources close to the negotiations. According to sources, US negotiators disagree on how much to toughen existing anti-Iranian sanctions and whether it is worth ending negotiations, given that Tehran is dragging them out and at the same time increasing the pace of nuclear development. Some diplomats called for a break in talks in early December after a new Iranian group reversed most of the concessions made by the previous Iranian government. Three diplomats have already left the team, including Richard Nephew, the U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Iran, who is also the architect of economic sanctions against Iran. They advocated a tougher approach in negotiations with Iran, sources say. A State Department spokesman confirmed the departure of Nefew and another diplomat to the publication, noting that not a single member of the team was suspended or left it except for «ordinary personnel» reasons. Earlier, a State Department official told RIA Novosti that the US administration was ready for direct negotiations with Iranian representatives to help restore the nuclear deal. Negotiations are underway in Vienna to renew the JCPOA and lift Washington's sanctions on Tehran. On December 27, the eighth round started. Even during the seventh round, in December, the parties reached an agreement on two draft agreements, in which the European side included the positions of Iran. Negotiations on December 31 were suspended due to the New Year holidays. On January 3, the parties continued the dialogue in Vienna. According to Bagheri Kyani, the talks are going well, but US State Department spokesman Ned Price assessed the progress in Vienna as «modest» and urged Tehran to take the issue seriously. — The JCPOA, which provided for the lifting of sanctions in exchange for limiting Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA and reinstated sanctions against Tehran. In response, Iran announced a phased reduction in its obligations under the agreement, waiving restrictions on nuclear research, centrifuges and the level of uranium enrichment. on the possibility of restoring the JCPOA
