Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the two sides had a "candid" discussion and agreed to continue dialogue in the near future. Meanwhile, European diplomats said the meeting made "very little progress".

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the P5+1 group, including the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council - the UK, France, the US, Russia and China - plus Germany in July 2015 is approaching its expiration date in October 2025.

The EU hopes to reach a new deal before then, giving it enough time to implement new restrictions and lift sanctions.

However, Donald Trump’s return to the White House is expected to cast a shadow over the prospects of a deal.