Iran has welcomed a move by the United States to waive sanctions against foreign countries and companies that work in Iran’s civil nuclear sector. The sanctions were imposed by the Trump administration in 2020 after it pulled the U.S. out of the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Iran has called ending those sanctions a necessary first step toward restoring the nuclear agreement. Last week Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran is willing to engage in direct talks with the Biden administration if negotiations on a new nuclear deal reach an advanced stage.