Iran has dropped some of its main demands for resurrecting its nuclear deal, including its insistence that international inspectors close some probes of its atomic program, bringing the possibility of an agreement closer, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing a senior U.S. official.

The United States aims to respond soon to a draft agreement proposed by the European Union that would bring back the 2015 nuclear deal that former President Donald Trump abandoned and current President Joe Biden has sought to revive.

The latest round of nuclear talks was held in Austrian capital Vienna in early August after a five-month hiatus. On August 8, the EU put forward a "final text" of the draft decision on reviving the deal known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

EU says most countries agree on its proposal

Most countries involved in nuclear talks with Iran agree with the EU proposal that aims to save the deal, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday.

"Most of them agree, but I still don't have the answer from the United States, which I expect during this week," Borrell said in an interview with Spanish national broadcaster TVE.

Borrell said Iran has asked for a few adjustments to the EU proposal – which was not made public – that follows 16 months of fitful, indirect U.S.-Iran talks with the EU shuttling between the parties. He had said on Monday he considered Tehran's answer "reasonable."

Iran yet to receive U.S. response to EU proposal

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Monday said Iran had not received a response from the U.S. on the EU's proposal.

Making the remarks at a weekly press conference, Nasser Kanaani said Iran had submitted its response in time to the EU proposal put forward in the latest round of the Vienna nuclear talks in early August, according to semi-official Mehr news agency.

Iran has always taken part in the nuclear negotiations "seriously, constructively and responsibly," the spokesman said, adding his country has shown flexibility for reaching a deal.

Kanaani blamed the U.S. for the status quo of the JCPOA, saying Washington is accountable for the failure to implement the agreement.

The nuclear talks will move to the next stage if the U.S. proves in practice that it has the political will to reach an agreement, in addition to making promises and comments, he added.

U.S. says deal is closer than two weeks ago

The U.S. State Department spokesperson Monday expressed some optimism about the prospects of reviving the deal but stressed that divisions remain between the U.S. and Iran.

"A deal is closer now than it was two weeks ago, but the outcome of these ongoing discussions still remains uncertain as gaps do remain," Ned Price said at a State Department briefing.

On Monday, Price said that the U.S. was still conducting consultations. "We are working as quickly as we can, as methodically as we can and as carefully as we can see to it that our response is complete. It takes into account the Iranian feedback and we'll provide that to the EU as soon as we're able."

He also told reporters the U.S. was "conveying (its) feedback directly and privately to the EU."

(With input from agencies)