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Iran Nuclear Deal Nations to Meet, Seek Way to Save Pact

Agence France-Presse

   VIENNA - Reuters contributed to this report.

   The remaining signatories to the Iran nuclear deal will meet in Vienna
   on Sunday to try again to find a way of saving the accord after the
   U.S. pulled out, amid mounting tensions between Tehran and Washington.

   On Sunday, in Geneva, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic
   Energy Organization,told lawmakers that Iran will restart activities at
   the Arak heavy water nuclear reactor, the ISNA news agency reported.

   Heavy water can be employed in reactors to produce plutonium, a fuel
   used in nuclear warheads.

   In Vienna later Sunday, envoys from Britain, France, Germany, China,
   Russia and Iran will take part in the meeting, which comes a month
   after a similar gathering failed to achieve a breakthrough.

   Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated since last year
   when U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the accord that was
   aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program, and imposed punishing
   sanctions.

   In retaliation, Iran said in May it would disregard certain limits the
   deal set on its nuclear program and threatened to take further measures
   if remaining parties to the deal, especially European nations, did not
   help it circumvent the U.S. sanctions.

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