U.S. plays down expectations for Iran nuclear talks

European External Action Service (EEAS) Deputy Secretary General Enrique Mora and Iranian Deputy at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi wait for the start of a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria April 6, 2021. EU Delegation in Vienna/Handout via REUTERS

The U.S. State Department on Thursday played down expectations for talks on how Washington and Tehran might resume compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and said the U.S. envoy was likely to return home as the talks break for the weekend.

While echoing descriptions of the talks as "constructive," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters "we would also, however, hasten to not allow expectations to outpace where we are."

FILE PHOTO: Iranian Deputy at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi arrives at a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission, in Vienna, Austria, April 6, 2021. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo

(Reporting By Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and by Arshad Mohammed in Saint Paul, Minn.; Editing by Chris Reese)