Azernews.Az

By Kamila Aliyeva

Tehran is in talks with Moscow on prospects of implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in the light of recent presidential election in the U.S., said Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister.

“With Russia, we have contacts and consultations at almost all levels,” Araghchi said adding that he recently visited Moscow and met with his colleague [Russian Deputy Foreign Minister] Sergey Ryabkov.

“We exchanged views on different aspects of JCPOA implementation, especially in the aftermath of the new developments in the U.S., we are in contacts with them at the expert level as well,” he said stressing that the contacts between officials of the two countries occur frequently and that last meeting at the ministerial level took place in Munich.

Araghchi stressed that Iran and Russia have excellent cooperation.

Earlier, Sergei Ryabkov said that his country’s relations with Iran are not affected by any external influences as the two sides are cooperating with each other on many issues, including the fight against terrorism and the landmark nuclear deal.

Iran, five permanent UN Security Council members, Germany and the European Union signed the JCPOA in July 2015 to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. Then, the Islamic republic pledged to refrain from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of sanctions imposed against Iran.

President Donald Trump repeatedly stated that he believes that the nuclear agreement with Iran signed by the Obama administration is “the worst deal ever negotiated.

In early February 2017, Iran conducted a test ballistic missile launches purportedly in line with its defense programs. Claiming that the tests were a violation of the UN resolution, Washington imposed sanctions against individuals and entities providing support to Tehran’s ballistic missile program and to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.

Tehran's possible withdrawal from the nuke deal due to the United States' anti-Iran rhetoric would signal the failure of the international community, Moscow warned.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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