MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with permanent members of Russia’s Security Council to discuss the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and Israeli airstrikes against Syria, acting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
"From among substantive issues, the meeting discussed the situation around the JCPOA [the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] after the United States announced its decision to withdraw from the agreement on the Iranian nuclear dossier," Peskov said, adding that the participants in the meeting "expressed deep concern over such a decision and again emphasized the importance of this document."
"The meeting also discussed the situation in Syria, including Israeli night airstrikes," the acting Kremlin spokesman said.
"With regard to this theme, a detailed exchange of opinions was held in view of Vladimir Putin’s upcoming talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today," Peskov said.
Iran deal
US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Washington decided to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal as it allegedly provides Iran with the possibilities of creating a nuclear bomb bypassing all restrictions currently in force under the agreement. The US president added that another deal should be signed with Iran.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement in the wake of the US president’s announcement calling on all the other parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to stay committed to their obligations under the agreement.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reiterated his country’s commitment to the deal, saying Tehran would continue implementing its obligations under the JCPOA.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the deal on Iran’s nuclear program, was signed between Iran and six international mediators (the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia, the United States, and France) on July 14, 2015.
On January 16, 2016, the parties to the deal announced the beginning of the agreement’s implementation. Under the deal, Iran undertakes to curb its nuclear activities and place them under control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in exchange of abandonment of the sanctions imposed previously by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and the United States over its nuclear program.
Airstrikes against Syria
As the Al Hadath TV Channel reported on Wednesday, no less than eight Iranian military advisers were killed in an Israeli missile strike against the southern suburb of Al Kiswah outside Damascus.
According to the TV channel, among those dead there are also seven fighters of Shiite formations fighting for the Syrian army. SANA news agency earlier reported that two civilians were killed in the Israeli airstrike.