Russia expresses willingness to facilitate Iran-US nuclear agreement

Moscow, April 18 Russia is ready to facilitate potential nuclear deal agreements between Iran and the US, provided that such accords respect Iran's interests, country's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

"We welcomed the willingness, as far as we can see, to achieve objective and mutually acceptable agreements, including those that are being discussed by Iran and the United States," Lavrov said in a joint press conference following talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Moscow.

"Russia is certainly ready to facilitate this process and will do its best to support the agreements that would take Iran's legitimate interests into account," he added.

Addressing the press conference, Araghchi said that the indirect talks between Iran and the US, are set to continue in Rome on Saturday. "We are waiting to hear the viewpoints of the American side. If there is enough seriousness and determination, it is likely that a deal can be achieved," he said.

The Iranian Foreign Minister emphasised that Tehran will approach the talks on Saturday with seriousness and full determination, despite "serious doubts" about the intentions of the other side.

"We are fully prepared for a peaceful solution to Iran's peaceful nuclear programme, and if there is a similar will on the other side and they do not make unreasonable and unrealistic demands, I believe reaching an agreement is possible," said Araghchi.

The Foreign Minister also expressed Iran's appreciation for Russia's role in the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and expressed hope that Moscow would continue its supportive role in any new agreement.

"We will continuously keep our friends in Russia, and of course China, informed about the developments," Araghchi said, emphasising his confidence that constructive feedback will contribute to progress on this path.

Araghchi and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff are scheduled to hold the second round of their indirect talks on Saturday. The talks mainly center on Iran's nuclear programme and the removal of the US sanctions on the country.

In the first round of Muscat talks held last week, Araghchi engaged in "indirect" discussions with Witkoff, facilitated by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi. The talks focused on Iran's nuclear programme and the potential removal of the US sanctions.

The talks were proposed by US President Donald Trump, who threatened Iran with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear programme.

Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with six major countries — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States — in July 2015, accepting restrictions on its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.

However, the US withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments. Efforts to revive the nuclear deal have not achieved substantial progress.

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