Blinken defends Iran deal talks against congressional criticism

'We continue to believe that getting back into compliance with the agreement would be the best way to address the nuclear challenge posed by Iran,' Antony Blinken told US lawmakers [Bonnie Cash/Pool via Reuters]

Despite an apparent impasse in talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has defended efforts to revive the agreement against congressional criticism, stressing that a return to the pact would curb Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Testifying at the United States Senate on Tuesday, Blinken told lawmakers that the deal succeeded in limiting Iranian production of fissile material needed to build a nuclear weapon – until the former US administration withdrew from the agreement.