French Foreign Min: Progress On JCPoA 'Partial, Timid And Slow'

Laurence Norman at the WSJ quotes French Foreign Miniser Jean-Yves Le Drian on the state of talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) in Vienna. Says that "Progress is "partial, timid and slow." Negotiations can't continue at "such a slow pace while the nuclear program advances so quickly in parallel." "Very quickly" find ourselves "in an untenable situation."

• Comes after 'quad meeting' of ministers from US, UK, France, and Germany on JCPoA.
• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock issued similar comments, stating that “We must take note of the regrettable fact that in the ongoing negotiations in Vienna some core questions remain unresolved: with regards to the nuclear file as well regarding sanctions....Little time is left for a solution”
• Comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi in Moscow. Kremlin released this readoutfollowing their talks.
• With Russia-West tensions peaking, the prospect of Russian and European negotiators working together to reach a deal with Iran on the JCPoA seems unlikely in the short term.