Putin backs Macron's initiative to save Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Moscow is aware of French President Emmanuel Macron's initiative to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, noting that his boss, President Vladimir Putin, has already met the French head of state and given him his full support.
Reports emerged this week that Macron's plan, which he discussed in detail with US President Donald Trump and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in separate meetings, included a "softening" of economic sanctions against Tehran in exchange for some liabilities.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Wednesday, Lavrov confirmed that Macron had also filled Putin in on his plan during at an extraordinary Russian-French summit at Fort de Bragnacon a week ago.
"President Putin supported President Macron’s proposal aimed at restoring the viability of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and all the agreements enshrined in it," he said.
"Such steps will certainly be successful, if they are acceptable to all the parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, including the Islamic Republic of Iran," Lavrov said without giving away any details of Macron's plan.
The initiative, according to a Saturday report by Bloomberg, will allow Iran to sell certain amounts of oil in exchange for fully implementing the JCPOA.
