US removes 2 Iranian firms from sanctions blacklist

The removals include Mammut Industrial Group, and its subsidiary Mammut Diesel Company. Both companies were sanctioned under former US President Donald Trump's failed "maximum pressure" campaign, which was geared at imposing costs on Tehran in order to bring Iran back to nuclear negotiations.

Those talks never materialized, and 2015 nuclear agreement has been badly battered in the aftermath of Trump's efforts with Iran taking steps away from its commitments in retaliation for the US reneging on its own, and imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The last round of negotiations concluded in June with both sides voicing views that were sharply at odds with each other about their status.

Iran maintained that the talks ended with each party agreeing on a clear text on all issues while Washington said serious differences remained.

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