After intermittent, stalled and indirect talks between the two countries over 16 months, to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, Washington reaffirmed that it would not allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon

US state spokesman Ned Price told a press conference that his country "will be ready to return to the policy of sanctions if Iran does not accept the full return of the nuclear deal."

However, he pledged to lift sanctions on Tehran if it complies with the deal, from which Washington withdrew in 2018 during former President Donald Trump's rule.

"We look forward to a full and mutual return of the nuclear deal with Iran," Price told the press conference, stressing that the US State will deliver its response to the European proposal to revive the agreement to Foreign Affairs Coordinator Josep Borrell.

On the other hand, he stressed that the sanctions imposed on the Revolutionary Guards were "outside the scope of the nuclear agreement".

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian said that his country would respond to the European Union's "final" text to save the nuclear deal by midnight on the same day, calling on the United States to show flexibility in resolving the remaining 3 issues.

After lengthy talks with the EU shuttle tours between Washington and Tehran, a senior EU official said on August 8 that he had made a "final" offer, and expected a response within "very few weeks."

While Washington said it was ready to conclude a deal quickly to revive the 2015 agreement on the basis of the European Union's proposals, Iranian negotiators said they would later convey additional proposals and perspectives to the European Union.

Iran's Foreign Minister said Tehran's response would not be a definitive acceptance of the European Union proposal, nor a total rejection of it.

He added: "We told them that our red lines must be respected. We showed them a lot of flexibility. We do not want to reach an agreement that will fail to be implemented on the ground after 40 days, two months or 3 months ".

Diplomats, analysts and officials said that whether Tehran and Washington accepted the EU's "final" offer to revive the agreement or not, it was unlikely that either would announce its cancellation, as keeping it in the interests of both parties.

Abdullahian said: "The coming days are very important" to see if the United States will show flexibility on the remaining three issues, adding: "It will not be the end of the world if they do not show flexibility. Then we will need more efforts and talks to resolve the remaining issues. "

"Like Washington, we have our own alternative plan if the talks fail."

Indirect talks in Vienna have been hampered by obstacles, including Tehran's demand that Washington provide assurances that no US president will abandon the deal, as Trump has done.

US President Joe Biden cannot make such a commitment, because the nuclear deal is a non-binding political understanding and not a legally binding treaty.