Russian, Iranian FMs discuss nuclear deal

The foreign ministers of Russia and Iran discussed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, in a phone call on Saturday.

A statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry said Sergey Lavrov and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian voiced their expectations from Vienna talks aimed at reviving the nuclear deal, which are resuming on Nov. 29.

Both the diplomats expressed support for the restoration of a balanced nuclear agreement that is approved by all members of the UN Security Council.

The deal was signed in 2015 between Iran and P5+1 – the US, China, Russia, France, the UK, Germany – and the EU.

Tehran committed to limit its nuclear activity to civilian purposes and in return, world powers agreed to drop their economic sanctions against Iran.

However, the US, under then President Donald Trump, unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to stop complying with the nuclear deal.

The last of six rounds of talks in the Austrian capital concluded in late June, to allow the administration of new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to take form.