US, Iran call indirect nuclear talks ‘constructive’ despite tensions

The United States and Iran are separately calling their first day of indirect nuclear talks “constructive” — despite Tehran refusing to allow the US to attend unless it lifted sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said of the talks, “We do see this as a constructive and certainly welcome step.” “It is a potentially useful step as we seek to determine what it is that the Iranians are prepared to do to return to compliance with the stringent limitations under the 2015 deal, and as a result what we might need to do to return to compliance ourselves.”