Russia considers it possible to work out synchronous steps for Iran and the US to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear issue (JCPOA), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday at a joint press conference with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
"In order to solve this immediate task, we think it is quite possible to work out synchronous, simultaneous steps in the phases that the Iranians and the United States will have to take. Because if we are now stumped as to who should be the first to return to compliance with their commitments, the bargaining could go on indefinitely," he said.
Moscow has welcomed Washington's intention to return to the nuclear deal: "It has not been realized, of course, yet, as I understand that the United States is still trying to figure out how to do it. There are those who are saying louder and louder that the JCPOA must be revived in an updated, modernized form. They mention, as you know, the need to discuss Iran's missile program and the regional policy that Iran pursues with respect to neighboring countries and in general in the Middle East and North Africa region".
The Foreign Minister said that Russia believes that now there is no need to "overload the task of restoring the JCPOA in full with other, albeit very important, considerations and concerns".
According to him, Russia's proposed conference on security in the Persian Gulf region could become a platform for discussing the restoration of the nuclear deal. "We are convinced that if the security conference in the [Persian] Gulf region that we are proposing is created on the basis of, of course, the principles of respect and interests of each other, on the basis of equal rights and the need to move toward mutually acceptable compromises, then any problems, any concerns that the parties have toward each other can be discussed at such a conference," the Minister concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS