Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zari and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed the ways to preserve the nuclear accord after US unilateral withdrawal from it, in a bilateral meeting before the ministerial meeting of the top diplomats of Iran, P4+1, and the EU.
Mr. Zarif and Mr. Lavrov met at the very same Palais Coburg Hotel where all the meetings of Friday are arranged in Vienna.
The two top diplomats met ahead of the ministerial meeting in Vienna initiated by Tehran. Its participants (the foreign ministers of Iran, the UK, Germany, China, Russia and France) will focus on efforts to salvage the nuclear deal in the wake of Washington’s decision to withdraw from it.
The Friday meeting of EU/E3+2 top diplomats in Vienna, between the FMs of UK, Germany, Iran, France, China, Russia and the EU, is the first foreign ministers' meeting by parties remaining within the JCPOA after US President Trump unilaterally abandoned the deal.
Hours before the Friday meeting, the Iranian diplomatic chief Zarif posted a message on his Twitter page late on Thursday, warning the world that having both Iran comply with the nuclear agreement and sanctions against Iran at the same time is impossible.
YNG/PR