The P4+1 and Iran convened for a meeting of the JCPOA’s Joint Commission. According to the chair’s statement, “participants recognised the prospect of a full return of the U.S. to the JCPOA, and underlined their readiness to positively address this in a joint effort”; they also “discussed modalities to ensure the return to its full and effective implementation”. The statement added that all sides decided “to resume this session of the Joint Commission in Vienna next week, in order to clearly identify sanctions lifting and nuclear implementation measures, including through convening meetings of the relevant expert groups... the coordinator will also intensify separate contacts in Vienna with all JCPOA participants and the U.S.”. A senior Iranian diplomat asserted that “the Iranian delegation will not have any negotiations with the American delegation at any level… However, if other signatories to the deal seek bilateral or multilateral consultations with the U.S., whether in Vienna or elsewhere, it is up to them”. A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson indicated that “we don’t anticipate an immediate breakthrough as there will be difficult discussions ahead. But we believe this is a healthy step forward”. “We do not anticipate presently that there will be direct talks between the U.S. and Iran through this process, though the U.S. remains open to them”, he added.