TEHRAN – Delegates from Iran and 5+1 group gathered in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday to discuss the implementation of the nuclear deal and address the extension of the anti-Iran sanctions by Washington, IRNA reported.

This is the sixth time that the signatories to the international nuclear deal – which consists of Iran, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany - come together to address issues raised over the implementation of the agreement, officially named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the JCPOA.

The meeting comes nearly a month after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the involved parties to address the U.S. renewal of sanctions against Iran.

The Iran Sanction Act (ISA) was first ratified in 1996 under the Clinton administration to rule out investment in Iran’s energy sector.

The Senate voted on December 1, 2016 unanimously in favor of extending the sanctions a further ten years.

Iranian officials consider the move a violation of the nuclear pact.

Under the JCPOA a joint commission of the seven signing countries monitors the implementation of the deal to resolve the issues raising with its implementation.

Prior to the Tuesday meeting, Iranian Deputy Foreign Ministers Aabbas Araqchi and Majid Takhtravanchi met with Secretary General of European External Action Service Helga Schmid.

“The extension of the Iran Sanctions Act is a breach of the U.S. obligations under the nuclear agreement,” Araqchi said, calling for “effective measures” to address the breach.

Iranian experts also met their counterparts from other involved countries, including the U.S.

Araqchi, who also heads Iran’s JCPOA follow-up committee, said on Monday that Iran will not tolerate breaches of the international agreement by a certain party.

He further said that the Islamic Republic will take appropriate responses to such violations.

MH/PA