Iran, Russia Should Keep 'Unanimity' To Salvage JCPOA After US Pullout - Javad Zarif

Iran and Russia should carry on with their joint efforts to keep the 2015 nuclear deal alive following the US withdrawal, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday at talks with the top Russian diplomat

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2021) Iran and Russia should carry on with their joint efforts to keep the 2015 nuclear deal alive following the US withdrawal, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday at talks with the top Russian diplomat.

"I would also like to sincerely thank the Russian Federation for its very constructive and principled stance on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA, commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal]. There is a need to continue our cooperation, our unanimity, in order to save this very important agreement in connection with risks and concerns that have arisen after the US exit from the plan," Zarif said at a meeting with Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

According to the Iranian minister, the two countries cooperate "on a range of issues." He expressed hope that they would conduct an overall review of this cooperation during the talks in Moscow to "determine where we can better expand and develop it in the future."

Ex-US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the multilateral accord in 2018, reinstating sanctions on Tehran as part of a maximum pressure campaign. His successor, Joe Biden, has expressed readiness to rejoin the deal should Tehran return to full compliance, noting that he will still seek a broader agreement to cover issues like Iran's missile program and alleged malign activities.