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Russia concerned by West’s signals calling for leverage on Iran, senior diplomat says

The face-to-face talks between Iran and the international "group of five" have been underway in Vienna since April in order to revive the Iranian nuclear deal in its initial form, through lifting Washington’s sanctions against Iran, implementing nuclear obligations by Tehran, and returning the US to the deal

MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. Moscow has voiced concerns over signals coming from Western capitals on the need to use political leverage on Tehran in order to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), this is the wrong logic to employ, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

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Senior Russian diplomat warns against revising Vienna agreements on Iran

"I’m concerned over the signals coming not only from Washington, but also from other capitals of the Western countries taking part in the Vienna negotiating process on restoring the JCPOA that now it is necessary to use some political ‘measures of leverage’ on Tehran. This is logically wrong. Instead of fueling tensions and boosting pressure, we should show restraint and find a way to resume talks," the senior diplomat said.

He pointed out that it is necessary to treat the internal processes of the governmental overhaul as a result of a transit of power in Iran with respect and wait until a new negotiating team is formed in order to resume the suspended work on restoring the JCPOA in Vienna. "Yes, the pause is protracting, this is not good. Yes, the Iranians need extra time in order to form their negotiating team but this is also normal. After all, they are having what is called a transition of power in Western circles, one has to respect this," the senior diplomat pointed out.

"If now we begin searching for some formulations that will take on a hypothetical shape of a resolution of the IAEA Board of Governors condemning Iran, I think, we may simply undermine chances for the swift resumption of talks. This is counterproductive and probably is not in the interests of the Western countries themselves," the deputy foreign minister concluded.

The face-to-face talks between Iran and the international "group of five" (Russia, the UK, Germany, China, and France) have been underway in Vienna since April in order to revive the Iranian nuclear deal in its initial form, through lifting Washington’s sanctions against Iran, implementing nuclear obligations by Tehran, and returning the US to the deal. The representatives of the JCPOA member states are also holding separate consultations with the US delegation without Iranian participation. All the delegations were initially planning to finish working at the end of May, and then — in early June.

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Iran Sergey Ryabkov

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