Josep Borrell, the European Union (EU)'s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy announced Saturday that a nuclear deal with Iran is very close to being signed.

The top EU diplomat told the Doha Forum international conference: "Now we are very close to an agreement and I hope it will be possible."

In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council: China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States, plus Germany) and the EU. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the pact in May 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, which prompted Iran to drop some of its nuclear commitments.

Since April 2021, Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties have held eight rounds of marathon talks in Vienna to revive the deal. 

(With input from agencies)