The story: Iranian and US negotiators have left Vienna after four days of indirect talks geared to reach an understanding on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal. As Amwaj.media exclusively reported on the eve of the negotiating round, there has been contention over the direction of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) activities in Iran. That obstacle has yet to be resolved. Amid parallel verbal sparring over whether a “final text” has been produced, questions also remain over possible next steps.

The framing: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell asserted on Aug. 8 that negotiators met in the Austrian capital “to fine tune and address—with technical adjustments—a handful of issues remaining” in a text which he put forward on July 21...