AmirAbdollahian: We consulted with Lavrov about the Vienna talks
The Islamic Republic's foreign minister says he has consulted with his Russian counterpart about returning to the JCPOA revival talks in Vienna. He added that Lavrov has stressed that the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency "should make more trips to Iran."
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Moscow on Tuesday evening at the head of a delegation and participated in a joint press conference on Wednesday afternoon, October 4, after negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
The negotiations on the Joint Commission on the JCPOA have been one of the focal points of the Moscow talks. These negotiations began in Vienna at the beginning of this solar year and were held in six rounds during the Hassan Rouhani administration. With the announcement of Ebrahim Raisi's victory in the 13th presidential election, the continuation of the negotiations remained uncertain.
Consultation with Lavrov
According to Fars News Agency, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister said regarding Iran's return to the Vienna talks: "We had consultations with Lavrov in this regard and I emphasized that after the conclusion of the discussions, we will soon resume the Vienna talks."
Representatives of the Islamic Republic and the five remaining countries in the nuclear deal are participating in these negotiations, and US representatives are participating indirectly for the first time since the country withdrew from the agreement in May 2018.
The 13th government's Foreign Ministry has repeatedly announced that it will return to the Vienna talks "soon" but has not announced a specific date for it.
Amir Abdollahian said at a press conference in Moscow that the process of reviewing the six rounds of the Vienna talks in the new Iranian government is being completed and finalized, and that the Vienna talks will resume soon.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry, said on Monday that the Vienna talks could resume in November.
Iran, continuing to reduce its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), imposed restrictions on the work of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, some of which were lifted by the visit of the Agency's Director General, Rafael Grosjean, to Tehran.
Lavrov's Emphasis, Iran's Obedience
The Islamic Republic's foreign minister says his Russian counterpart "insisted" in talks in Moscow that Grossi travel to Iran more often. He added: "We welcome Grossi to travel to Iran whenever he wants to pursue his technical issues within the framework of existing regulations."
Another issue discussed in the talks between the Iranian and Russian foreign ministers was the recent tensions between the Islamic Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Tehran accuses Baku of changing the border lines and blocking direct land communication between the Islamic Republic and Armenia by constructing a corridor connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan after last year's clashes in Karabakh and seizing the southern parts of the region.
The Islamic Republic expects Russia to use its influence over the Republic of Azerbaijan and respond to developments in the South Caucasus.
South Caucasus, sharing concerns with Lavrov
Amir Abdollahian said in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart: "We have concerns in the South Caucasus region and we shared our concerns with Mr. Lavrov. We believe that the region cannot tolerate new excesses. Our view of all neighbors is one of friendship, brotherhood, and good neighborliness, and the development of cooperation and relations."
Foreign Minister Dolat Raisi noted that Iran "will not accept any change in the geopolitical and regional map in the Caucasus region under any circumstances" and continues to have "serious concerns" about the presence of Israeli and terrorist forces in the region.
The presence of Israeli forces in the Republic of Azerbaijan and near the Iranian borders is an issue that the country's senior political and military officials have repeatedly reiterated, and has been met with a sharp reaction from Baku.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly, explicitly or implicitly, denied Iran's claim about the presence of Israeli forces near its borders.
The reference to the presence of terrorists also apparently refers to groups of Syrian militias that Türkiye is said to have brought into the region to assist Baku in the Karabakh war.
Russia, Türkiye, and the Republic of Azerbaijan have closer positions, at least on South Caucasus issues, and have so far held several joint exercises in the region.
Iran 'doesn't feel good' about regional exercises
The Islamic Republic of Iran's Army Ground Forces also recently held a drill in the northwest of the country and near the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was met with a reaction from Baku.
The holding of this exercise has also been raised in talks between the foreign ministers of Iran and Russia. Amir Abdollahian said in this regard: "Mr. Lavrov referred to military maneuvers in the Caucasus region, and I must say that six maneuvers were conducted by the Republic of Azerbaijan jointly with some countries, which I think was a provocative act in the region. This decision is up to each country, but the density of these maneuvers does not create a good feeling in the region."
The Foreign Minister of the 13th government says that it was agreed in the Moscow talks to "review the strategic document on cooperation between the two countries in a written form in the near future" and that this document will serve as the basis for long-term cooperation.
The Islamic Republic calls its relations with Russia strategic, but the volume of trade between the two countries is very small, and Moscow has not always been Tehran's reliable partner in political matters.
Amir Abdollahian says that Iran and Russia have great potential, but there is a "long way" to go to develop relations in the trade and economic fields, and in order to "witness a leap in relations," the obstacles to making a leap must be identified.
Source: DW
