"Count Russia out, please. We are fully aware of all the problems at the ViennaTalks but remain cautiously optimistic," Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said in a post on his Twitter account just hours ahead of the beginning of Vienna talks on the removal of sanctions against Iran in the Austrian capital on Monday, November 29.
"The reason for this cautious optimism is very simple: we have no reasonable and acceptable alternative to a successful conclusion of the talks on JCPOA," Ulyanov went on to stress in the tweet.
Meanwhile, the European Union representative, Enrique Mora, who coordinates the talks between Iran and the P4+1, tweeted earlier today, "Intense preparatory work ongoing" before the talks.
Mora also said that he had already met with the top Iranian negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani and the Russian diplomat Ulyanov and Chinese diplomat Wang Qun.
The EU representative further said in his tweet that "This morning I will also meet with European and US colleagues ahead of the Joint Commission in the afternoon."
Iran's top negotiator has reiterated Iran's position that the full removal of the sanctions would be the only thing on the table in Vienna.
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