According to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement today (Saturday) that Sergei Lavrov and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discussed the return of the JCPOA to its original format and the resumption of Vienna talks on reviving the JCPOA in a telephone call.
According to a readout of the phone conversation released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov wished speedy recovery from the Covid-19 for his Iranian counterpart.
Amir-Abdollahian, for his part, thanked the Russian counterpart for asking about his health condition and praised Russia's constructive and positive stance with regard to Iran's nuclear issue.
Referring to the agreement reached with EU’s Enrique Mora on the timing of the start of the talks with the P4 + 1, the Iranian Foreign Minister stressed that the rapid progress of the talks requires that the European and American sides avoid making excessive demands beyond the JCPOA provisions and instead make realist and constructive demands.
The Iranian diplomat further said that the Islamic Republic of Iran considers the previous talks in Vienna, and stressed that Iran will pursue its demands vigorously in the forthcoming negotiations.
He pointed out that there should be no doubt in the seriousness of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the talks and the need for all parties to return to their obligations.
Referring to the new US sanctions against Iran, Amir-Abdollahian stated that although the Islamic Republic of Iran has doubts about the intentions of the American side, if the American side fully returns to its obligations and does not make excessive demands, the Islamic Republic of Iran will in turn return to fulfilling all its obligations.
Referring to the constructive cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he stressed the need for the IAEA Director General to refrain from adopting politically motivated stances and noted that Iran will continue technical cooperation with the IAEA.
The Russian foreign minister, for his part, stressed the importance of reviving JCPOA and stressed that all parties, most of all the United States, must return to their commitments.
Mr. Lavrov also noted that Moscow has always stressed the need to stop US counterproductive actions against the JCPOA.
Moreover, in the phone conversation, both sides agreed on the need to send humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in the wake of the upcoming winter season. The two sides also stressed the importance of forming an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Amir-Abdollahian also referred to the latest developments in the Caucasus and stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the regional negotiations in 3 + 3 format and other agreed formats to resolve Caucasus issues and develop regional cooperation.
Iran and the remaining signatories to the JCPOA have held six rounds of talks so far with no results. The Western powers made excessive demands during the talks and the talks were postponed at the end of the previous Iranian administration under Rouhani until the formation of the new government in Iran under President Ebrahim Raeisi.
Ali Bagheri, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, tweeted on Wednesday that the Vienna talks will start on November 29th with the aim of removing the illegal and inhumane sanctions.
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