Europeans, Iran to cross swords at nuclear talks

European powers will demand at talks on Friday that Iran stop violating their nuclear deal or risk renewed U.N. sanctions, but with Tehran angry over a lack of European protection from U.S. sanctions, there appeared to be scant scope for compromise.

The afternoon meeting comes amid heightened friction between Iran and the West. Tehran has rolled back its commitments under the 2015 deal in response to Washington’s withdrawal last year and reimposition of sanctions that have crippled its economy.

The Europeans and Iran clashed on Thursday over the Iranian ballistic missile program before senior diplomats from the remaining parties to the deal - Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia - met Iranian officials in Vienna on Friday to assess the state of the nuclear agreement.

Underlining the tension, the Iranian delegation threatened to boycott the talks after discovering that an exiled Iranian opposition group planned an anti-government protest outside the hotel where the meeting was due to take place, diplomats said.

The EU, which hosts the talks, scrambled to move the meeting to its nearby mission to the United Nations in Vienna.