Vienna, Jan 6 : Iran's top negotiator said the ongoing nuclear talks in Vienna are focused on the removal of US sanctions on the Islamic Republic and reflecting an onward and positive trend. Ali Bagheri Kani made the remarks on Wednesday before entering Palais Coburg, where the negotiations on the restoration of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are being held, reports Xinhua news agency. He noted that efforts are underway to achieve a result commenting on the outcome of the talks over the past few days since the beginning of their eighth round. Bagheri Kani said the effective removal of US sanctions on Iran is key to arriving at an agreement in the Vienna talks. The more seriousness the other sides demonstrate for removing the sanctions and accepting the mechanisms proposed by Iran for the lifting of the restrictions, particularly regarding the verification and guarantee issues, the sooner it will be possible to reach an agreement, he noted. Iran and the five other remaining signatories to the JCPOA, namely China, Russia, the UK, France and Germany, have held rounds of talks in Vienna in a bid to revive the deal, which Washington quit in 2018 under former President Donald Trump. /IANS