A U.S. official said last week that American and Iranian representatives would take part in indirect talks, but Iran’s deputy foreign minister ruled that out, according to state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

“We will have no negotiations with Americans in Vienna, either directly or indirectly,” Abbas Araghchi was quoted as saying. The remaining parties to the nuclear accord “should persuade the United States any way they can” to lift all sanctions the Trump administration imposed before Iran will undo its own breaches of the agreement, he said…

Araghchi also ruled the prospect of a “step-by-step” initiative for lifting sanctions and returning to nuclear deal commitments.

“There is but one step; the U.S. must remove all sanctions rebranded, imposed or re-imposed under Mr. Trump,” he said.