MOSCOW, June 16. /TASS/. Russia will strongly oppose attempts to manipulate the UN Security Council on the back of events involving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday before starting negotiations with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"We are determined to counter any attempts to use the situation to manipulate the UN Security Council and promote the anti-Iranian agenda," he said. "We will undoubtedly raise the issue within all multilateral international formats."

"The situation involving the JCPOA is a matter of concern," the minister stressed. "Certain events are taking place in Vienna [meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency — TASS]. There are some ideas that our Western friends are working on in New York."

Lavrov expressed hope that during the talks the sides would also be able to discuss the prospects for cooperation as part of the Astana process on Syria and bilateral cooperation in accordance with the agreements reached by the heads of both states at their latest meetings.

Preserving Iran nuclear deal

Despite the US destructive position, the international community should seek to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a joint press conference Tuesday following his talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"We discussed the JCPOA developments in detail and underlined the importance of preserving this agreement in spite of the brazen destructive policy advanced by the United States as it [JCPOA] remains an important element of maintaining international security," the minister said.

In May, the US permanent mission to the UN issued a statement, demanding that the UN Security Council should turn the heat on Iran. The statement particularly mentioned the US plans to seek extension of the arms embargo placed on Iran which currently expires on October 18, 2020.

On July 20, 2015, the UNSC unanimously adopted Resolution 2231 to support the JCPOA. In particular, the resolution stipulates that the arms embargo against Tehran is extended by 5 years. On May 8, 2018, the US pulled out of the deal and reinstated economic sanctions against Tehran, including restrictions on its oil sector.

The JCPOA was signed between Iran, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (Russia, the United Kingdom, China, the United States and France) and Germany in 2015. Under the deal, Iran undertook to curb its nuclear activities and place them under total control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in exchange for abandonment of the sanctions imposed previously by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and the United States over its nuclear program. Iran pledged not to enrich uranium above the level of 3.67% for 15 years and maintain enriched uranium stockpiles at the level not exceeding 300 kg, as well as not to build new heavy-water reactors, not to accumulate heavy water and not to develop nuclear explosive devices.