MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. Cooperation between Tehran and Moscow has proved effective in the fight against terrorism, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said at a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday.
"Cooperation between Iran and Russia has proved very effective in the fight against terrorism and extremism in our sensitive region," Zarif said. According to the Iranian top diplomat, meetings between presidents and talks involving foreign ministers, as well as cooperation aimed at resolving bilateral and regional issues, "will bring peace and stability to our people and region."
Tehran calls on the nuclear deal participants to continue implementing it, he said.
"Unfortunately, one of the participants in the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] has not only failed to fully implement its obligations but has also been pursuing a destructive policy," he said. "We and other JCPOA participants need to maintain close cooperation in order to ensure that this accomplishment will continue to be realized," Zarif added.
The Iranian top diplomat thanked Russia’s authorities and his counterpart in particular for playing a role in reaching agreements related to the JCPOA. "I have already said that the JCPOA is one of the few accomplishments that the global community managed to achieve in the recent years. As you have noted, the IAEA many times stressed and confirmed that Iran was committed to the implementation of the JCPOA," he added.
White House Press Secretary Sara Sanders said earlier at a briefing that in the coming days Washington would announce its decision concerning the fulfillment of its obligations under the JCPOA for Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran is ready to ‘move in the same direction’ with Russia to successfully hold the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, he said.
"We are committed to cooperating with you and our Turkish friends and moving in the same direction so that the Congress that will be held in Sochi finds a way for the political settlement of the crisis in Syria," the Iranian foreign minister said.
According to him, the Sochi meeting will help achieve success at the UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva.
Representatives of Russia, Iran and Turkey announced at a meeting held in Astana that the Syrian National Dialogue Congress would be convened in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 29-30, 2018. The participants in the forum will focus on drafting a new Syrian Constitution and holding elections on its basis under the UN umbrella.