Speaking to IRNA after his meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Ryabkov, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Abbas Araghchi, said the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the reinstatement of sanctions by Washington have upset the balance in the international pact.
“We are waiting to see whether the other signatories to the deal – UK, France, Germany, Russia and China, are able to make up for the absence of US and make sure Iran would continue to enjoy the benefits of the JCPOA and its international cooperation,” Araghchi said.
“President Rouhani said that Iran has not yet decided whether to stay in the JCPOA or not,” Araghchi said. “Our decision depends on the outcome of our negotiations with the European sides, as well as China and Russia.”
He maintained that his talks with the Russian diplomat on the JCPOA lasted over three hours, adding that the two sides held very close consultations over the issue.
Asked about Iran’s expectations from Russia regarding the future of the JCPOA, Araghchi said “the relations between Iran and Russia go beyond the nuclear deal; with or without the JCPOA, we will continue our interactions with Russia.”
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