U.S. special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, characterised the JCPOA’s fate as a “big question mark”, adding: “we are prepared to resume the [Vienna] talks, which we wouldn’t do if we didn’t think [a deal] was possible … But there is absolute justification to have a question mark, because if you haven’t reached [a deal] yet, the talks drag on”. “If Iran’s nuclear advances progress, and Iran continues to take provocative nuclear steps, not even mentioning their regional provocations… that pulls in the other direction”, Malley warned. “It’s a legitimate question whether… we have to be prepared for a world in which Iran’s intentions are not to go back into the [pact], at least not in a realistic way”.