Russia supports Iran's position on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program, the US should withdraw its position and return to the original agreements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday.
"What we are talking about now is exactly that the Americans are trying to make a modified plan the subject of a new agreement, and the Iranians insist that everything is as it was approved in 2015. I think Iran's position is absolutely legitimate," he said.
"The Americans were withdrawing from a plan that everyone else and the Americans themselves had endorsed at one time. And because Washington was trying to destroy it, Washington should just withdraw its position and go back to the original arrangements. That's the problem right now," the minister said.
Lavrov said Russia's position on the prospects for an agreement on the resumption of the JCPOA is very clear and has never changed: the plan should be resumed solely as approved by the UN Security Council, without any additions or deletions.
Robert Malley, the US Special Representative for Iran, said Wednesday he would travel to Vienna to continue negotiations on the nuclear deal. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani also said the Iranian delegation would travel to Vienna to continue consultations. According to the diplomat, during this round of talks, "there will be a discussion and exchange of views on the proposals submitted by the parties, including ideas proposed by Iran." Earlier, the Politico newspaper specified, citing sources, that a new round of talks would be held in Vienna on August 4.
The JCPOA was signed with Iran in 2015 to address the crisis over its nuclear developments by the permanent "five" of the UN Security Council and Germany. Previous US President Donald Trump decided in 2018 to withdraw from the agreement. Current US leader Joe Biden has repeatedly signaled a willingness to bring Washington back into the nuclear deal with Tehran. Russia, Britain, Germany, China, the US and France have been negotiating with Iran in Vienna since last April to restore the JCPOA to its original form.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: MFA
Based on materials TASS