Iran, Russia reliable partners in JCPOA, global issues: Diplomat

A senior Iranian diplomat says Iran and Russia are "reliable partners" on many international developments and on a landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, despite the United States' efforts to create obstacles in the way of the deal's implementation.

According to Press TV, in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Ryabkov in Moscow on Friday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi hailed Russia's "logical, balanced and just" stance on the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), after the US move to withdraw from it.

"The JCPOA is the achievement of diplomacy and the US is weakening diplomacy at an international level through its efforts to destroy it," Iran's official IRNA news agency quoted Araqchi as saying.

Back on May 8, US President Donald Trump announced that he would abandon the JCPOA, reached between Iran and six world powers – the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. He also announced that he would reinstate the sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the agreement.

Russia's TASS news agency also quoted Araqchi as saying that Tehran is grateful for Moscow's stance on the JCPOA.

"I totally agree that Iran and Russia and reliable partners. Our cooperation concerning the regional and international agenda has been very honest, we have similar positions on many regional and global issues," the Iranian diplomat said.

He noted that the current crisis surrounding the nuclear deal had stemmed from Washington’s actions.

At the same time, he was hopeful that other participants in the deal would continue to implement it, saying, "We hope that the JCPOA’s European participants will remain committed to their obligations."

Late in November, Iran's nuclear chief criticized the US administration's efforts to prevent the implementation of the multilateral nuclear agreement through exerting pressure on other countries to make them pursue Washington's policies vis-a-vis the deal.

Elsewhere in his Friday meeting, Araqchi said Iran and Russia share stance on regional and international issues.

He emphasized that many international woes are rooted in wrong policies of the US and some of its allies in the Middle East region.

Russia resolute on JCPOA implementation: Ryabkov

The Russian deputy foreign minister, for his part, said Moscow is resolved to continue implementing the Iran nuclear deal by further developing relations with Tehran in different fields.

Ryabkov expressed his country's willingness to boost political talks with Iran and said bilateral consultations are very important not only for the two countries but for regional and international security.

SS