Speaking during a joint press conference with Sergey Lavrov in Tehran, Amir-Abdollahian urged the United States to be “realistic” regarding reaching an agreement on reviving the landmark deal.
Lavrov arrived in Tehran Wednesday for a two-day visit. This was his first since the Ebrahim Rashi government took power last year.
Amir-Abdollahian voiced hope that the talks underway in Vienna since April last year to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal will resume soon, adding that Iran is “serious” about reaching a “good and lasting agreement.”
The talks have been stalled due to key disagreements between Tehran and Washington, including the de-listing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Amir-Abdollahian appreciated the role of Russia, as well as China, in opposing the anti-Iran resolution at the UN nuclear watchdog’s board of governors meeting, which called on Tehran to scale up its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Russia and China voted against US and its three European allies’ resolution, while India and Pakistan abstained.
Amir-Abdollahian said Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri has been in contact with his European Union counterpart Enrique Mora, expressing confidence that the talks will be back on track soon.
He also commented on heightened tensions between Iran and its arch-foe Israel, saying Tehran will not allow Tel Aviv to “jeopardize the stability and security” in the region.
On Ukraine, Iran’s top diplomat said Tehran is opposed to war and sees dialogue as the only viable solution to the crisis.
He also hoped to host the Astana format meeting on Syria between Russia, Türkiye, and Iran in Tehran in the near future.
Amir-Abdollahian stated that his talks with Lavrov focused on visa cancellations and increasing bilateral trade between Tehran, Moscow, and Tehran.
Lavrov, for his part, said Russia hopes that the US makes a “rational choice” by returning to the 2015 nuclear deal that it unilaterally abandoned in May 2018.
He also demanded that Washington lift all sanctions against Iran that violate the terms of 2015’s nuclear agreement, which Moscow is a signatory.
According to the top Russian diplomat, trade between Moscow, Tehran grew by 80 percent to $4 billion last year. The focus was mainly on energy, transport, agriculture and customs.
Lavrov and the Iranian president met Wednesday evening. Raisi’s office said both sides are committed to expand bilateral ties to shape a “new era of beneficial strategic cooperation.”
In a subtle reference towards the USA, the Iranian leader highlighted the importance for cooperation between neighboring countries within the Caspian Sea Basin.
He further said the US and NATO “provocations” were shaping the war in Ukraine, urging coordinated efforts to resist NATO’s military expansion in West Asia.
Source: sonna
