Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday that Moscow is demanding guarantees from the U.S. before backing the Iran nuclear deal, citing the current wave of Western sanctions against Russia.
Lavrov said that the nuclear talks have covered most issues and "from our point of view, if Iran agrees, this document can already be launched into the acceptance process."
But he added that there are "problems that have appeared recently from the point of view of Russia's interests", due to concerns over the terms of the deal concerning Moscow's involvement in the civilian nuclear sector in Iran and arms sales to Tehran.
Lavrov cited the "avalanche of aggressive sanctions that the West has started spewing out, which hasn't ended as far as I understand," over the Ukraine conflict.
He said this meant Moscow had to ask the U.S. for guarantees first, requiring a "clear answer" that the new sanctions will not affect its rights under the nuclear deal.
"We requested that our US colleagues ... give us written guarantees at the minimum level of Secretary of State that the current (sanctions) process launched by the U.S. will not in any way harm our right to free, fully-fledged trade and economic and investment cooperation and military-technical cooperation with Iran," Lavrov said at a news conference.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
