“Iran” newspaper published a memo on Wedneday on the meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and hist Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. Here are some excerpts of the memo:
Russian demand for guarantees that Tehran-Moscow trade ties would be exempt from future US and Western Ukraine-related sanctions if the JCPOA was to be revived was an important issues of discussion between Amirabdollahian and Lavrov on Tuesday.
Drafting an agreement between Tehran and Moscow to determine the principles of cooperation between the two countries in the international arena was another important issues discussed by the two top diplomats.
Amid the warmest stage of the talks in Vienna, Lavrov raised a new demand from the Russian side urging the US to give guarantee that future Ukraine-related sanctions wouldn’t affect Tehran-Moscow trade ties.
The demand drew attentions, giving opportunity to the US and the Western participants to downgrade all the remaining disagreements to Russia’s new condition and ignore realization of Iran’s requests.
It was predictable that escalation between US and Russia over the war in Ukraine could impact talks in Vienna. In the meantime, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell asked for a pause in the talks so that the teams could return to capitals.
Amirabdollahian took the opportunity to meet Lavrov to discuss developments in Vienna talks and they seemed to have reached a conclusion when they appeared before reporters.
Lavrov said in the joint press conference with the Iranian top diplomat that Russia has received written guarantees from Washington both in the text of JCPOA and its revival deal, protecting Iran-Russia nuclear cooperation allowed by the JCPOA.
The Russian foreign minister said that the US tries to blame Moscow for the delay in Vienna talks, but this was a lie as the deal was not agreed upon in many other capitals.
He also talked of a new draft deal between Iran and Russia which was prepared on Iran’s initiative and Russia has shown eagerness to sign it.
The developments show that Iran and Russia have managed to form an alliance so that they can organize all-inclusive cooperation and hold real effective consultations in the highest levels. This can solve any complicated issue, including Vienna talks, and keep both countries focused on bilateral cooperation.
Amirabdollahian assured when speaking to reporters that Russia wouldn’t be an obstacle to a deal in Vienna and that there was no link between the war in Ukraine and the talks in the Austrian capital.
Russia would remained besides Iran until the end of the talks and until a good, strong and sustainable deal is agreed upon in Vienna and would support Iran obtain such a deal, the Iranian foreign minister said.
He hoped that the US would walk back its excessive demands as the talks have reached homestretch, so that a good deal can be obtained with the consent of all participants.
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