Publish Date: 12 December 2020 - 14:18

Moscow, Dec 12, IRNA - The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov blamed the US for the current situation the world is facing in regards to the Iranian nuclear deal and held Washington responsible for it, stressing that the July 2015 nuclear document should not be revised.

Lavrov made the remarks while speaking to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) correspondents via webinar on Saturday.

During the interview, Lavrov underscored Russia's support for Iran's stance on the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), but "does not back those who want to enter other questions than the nuclear issue."

He stated that "the JCPOA should not be revised."

Iran has taken wise stance on the issue, the stance which Russia supports.

"There is a consensus that the present situation in the JCPOA is due to the US unilateral withdrawal from the deal and imposition of the sanctions. he said, noting that "Russia believes that the US stance on the JCPOA is unconstructive."

Some in the US political system believe that they should prevent America from reaching any agreement with Iran, the Russian Foreign Minister added.

Capacities of the JCPOA should be be used to create a balance in commitments while Iran's interests should be served, he said.

He further described the "JCPOA as a great achievement that helped solve questions related to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," and said "Despite the US provocative measures, Iran is faithful to its commitments, the faithfulness which are praised by the global community."

Moscow is against West's unilateral sanctions and supports Iran through definite measure, he added.

Noting that Moscow will hold talks with BRICS- Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa- and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to form a club of countries which are under the sanctions, the minister said "Illegitimacy of the sanctions should be taken into consideration in the United Nations, and a campaign should be launched to condemn them."

Lovrov also said that Moscow believes that November assassination of Iranian scientist- Mohsen Fakhrizadeh- was a conspiracy.

Dr. Fakhrizadeh, Deputy Minister of Defense and Head of the Research and Innovation Organization of the Ministry of Defense of Iran, who was described by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as "a distinguished nuclear and defense scientist", was assassinated and attained martyrdom on Friday evening, November 27, near the town of Absard, Damavand city in east Tehran during a terrorist operation by the criminal agents of the Zionist regime.

Stressing that Russia pursues UN Charter and UN Security Council's resolutions on the fight against terrorism, he said "all in the world should be united to really combat international terrorism."

Russia views such a terrorist act as a move to destabilize the region, he added.

"Today the world witnesses that the West cannot solve global questions," he said.

Lavrov further pointed to the trade relations between Moscow and Tehran and noted that the volume of trade exchange between Russia and Iran has experienced a 20 percent increase in 2019.

"Despite the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in December 2019, volume of Moscow-Tehran trade exchange did see eight percent growth .

Commenting on the issue, the Russian Foreign Minister said that "about a year ago, Iran and EAEU reached a trade agreement, the agreement which opened the doors of markets of the member countries to Iran.

Russia endeavors to implement joint plans between Moscow and Tehran not only in Russia but in all EAEU states."

The volume of trade exchange between Iran and the EAEU has had 15 percent increase since the implementation of the agreement.

Cooperation with Iran should increase in all areas, agriculture and technology in particular."

He went on to reiterate that the "use of national forex in exchanges between Iran and EAEU will increase as this financial system will be effective to stand against impacts of the sanctions."

He also said that "Iran and Russia are two powerful players in the world."

At the end of his remarks, the Russian foreign minister stressed the need to follow equal rights, non-interference in the countries' internal affairs and peaceful solution for the conflicts.

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