lavrov Archives - Iran News Daily

Lavrov: West uses the dollar to suppress rivals

siavash — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:24:50 +0000

Lavrov: West uses the dollar to suppress rivals

TEHRAN (Iran News) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that the West uses the dollar to suppress rivals and maintain its dominance in the world.

According to Russian media TASS, Lavrov said that the West is trying by any means to prevent the emergence of a multipolar world and maintain its dominance.

Accordingly, instead of negotiation and fair competition, the US resorts to blackmail, pressure, and sanctions.

The West is also abusing the global role of the dollar and has started a tariff war against everyone, he stated.

None of these actions are related to the West’s legitimate right in the global economy and policy; rather, they are used as tools to suppress competitors, Lavrov noted.

It has now become clear that these competitors have not only become stronger but have in many ways surpassed the West, he stressed.

Earlier addressing the 17th BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 7, 2025, Lavrov said, “The erosion of the global economic world order has exacerbated as a result of illegitimate unilateral sanctions and use of the dollar as a means of punishment.”

“The trust in the American currency as a formerly reliable payment instrument was undermined,” he added.

Accordingly, instead of negotiation and fair competition, the US resorts to blackmail, pressure, and sanctions.

The West is also abusing the global role of the dollar and has started a tariff war against everyone, he stated.

None of these actions are related to the West’s legitimate right in the global economy and policy; rather, they are used as tools to suppress competitors, Lavrov noted.

It has now become clear that these competitors have not only become stronger but have in many ways surpassed the West, he stressed.

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Lavrov meets Raisi in Tehran

mahla — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 20:39:50 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) –The Russian Foreign Minister, who has come to Tehran to attend the second meeting of the “3+3” regional mechanism, met with the President of Iran.

Lavrov visited Tehran for talks on the South Caucasus within the 3+3 Format, which includes the Caucasian nations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Raisi also held talks with other 3+3 foreign ministers.

In the meeting with the Armenian Foreign Minister, President Raisi said that Iran is ready to tackle the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict.

Emphasizing the importance of security in the Caucasus region, Raisi considered the interference of third parties as “harmful for peace and stability in the region”.

“Iran, considering its powerful and influential position, will help resolve the existing disputes between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Raisi told Ararat Mirzoyan.

Pointing to the destructive role of the West, the United States and the Israeli regime in establishing peace in the region, Raisi said that the ongoing war crimes in the Gaza Strip should be a lesson for all countries to know that these domineering governments and regimes would never be their true friends.

The current war crimes in the Gaza Strip are the symbol of the Zionists’ racist and apartheid policies against the nations of the region, according to the Iranian president.

The President called the American policy of supporting the Zionists’ criminality in Gaza as the continuation of its failed policy in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Lavrov downbeat about JCPOA revival

mahla — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 08:19:50 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) –Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said he was pessimistic about the resuscitation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal at the moment.

Lavrov considered it unrealistic to wait for a new agreement on reviving the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a year before the presidential elections in the United States.

“It seems to me that it is not realistic to wait for this (the resumption of the JCPOA) now, because in a year there will be elections in the United States, and a new administration will come,” he said, according to RT Arabic.

He made the remarks on the sidelines of a Russia-ASEAN meeting in Jakarta.

“Who knows what kind of administration it will be, Democrat or Republican? But there are no guarantees that this new administration will not repeat the trick of pulling out of the agreement reached,” Lavrov continued.

The Russian foreign minister pointed out that there are unofficial and unannounced contacts between Washington and Tehran on a number of bilateral files, but they have nothing to do with the nuclear agreement. He added that Russia welcomes such contacts aimed at easing tensions between Iran and the U.S.

Talks over reviving the JCPOA kicked off in April 2021 but failed to result in a deal over the JCPOA. Several rounds of talks were held with no concrete results. And in recent months, the talks have been held in abeyance, with the U.S. envoy for Iran, Rob Malley, facing domestic criticisms over mishandling the Iran talks. Malley’s security clearances have also been suspended pending an investigation by the FBI.

Meanwhile, there are press reports that Iran and the U.S. have reached unwritten understandings aimed at de-escalating tensions and resolving some minor issues.

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Russia proposed ‘simple and understandable model’ for reviving JCPOA: Lavrov

mahla — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 21:42:26 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) –Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Russia put forth an initiative for reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that is “simple” and “understandable.”

Russia proposed a “simple and understandable model” for all sides to resume fulfilling their obligations, but the US and EU “abruptly slowed down” at the finish line and “switched to shaking up Iran’s internal political situation,” Lavrov said in remarks to Russian state-run news agency RIA, according to Anadolu Agency.

“It was all worked out to the smallest detail,” he said, emphasizing that the plan can be implemented “if there is political will.”

Time has proven that the 2015 nuclear agreement has no reasonable alternative, said Lavrov, denouncing “irresponsible” speculations about a “Plan B” and other “unacceptable options.”

Any such deviation could lead to “escalation, an arms race, an open conflict with irreversible consequences,” he warned.

The remarks come against a backdrop of tensions between Iran and the West which has put the Vienna talks over reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on ice.

Germany said Wednesday that it sees no reason to resume the JCPOA talks. “From our point of view, there are currently no indications or reasons for a resumption of the Iran nuclear negotiations,” German Foreign Ministry spokesman Christofer Burger said.

He pointed out that Germany has repeatedly made it clear that “these negotiations are not taking place at the moment.”

The German spokesman said that the focus of Berlin is not on the JCPOA right now but on what he called protests in Iran.

Burger’s remarks drew a response from the Russian Ambassador to Vienna-based International Organizations Mikhail Ulyanov.

“The German MFA stated that Berlin saw no reason to resume the Vienna talks. Apparently, Germany underestimates the importance of nuclear non-proliferation as well as the risk of serious and even uncontrolled escalation if the talks on JCPOA remain inconclusive,” Ulyanov said on Twitter.

Iran has reiterated its interest in the JCPOA. The spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament stressed on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic will not pull back from its position and interests in the JCPOA talks.

In remarks to Mehr News, Abolfazl Amouei underlined that the U.S. is to blame for poor advancement in the JCPOA talks.

He added that “the conditions for the U.S. comeback have been the main topic of our conversations for the last 18 months. The American side left the JCPOA accord and then declared its willingness to rejoin the deal.”

Amouei went on to underscore, “It was the American side that, owing to internal circumstances, including (congressional) elections, withdrew from the process of advancing the discussions more swiftly, and since then, the pace of the negotiations has been hampered due to their wrong political interpretation.”

Amouei speculated that perhaps the Westerners believed the recent unrest in Iran would help them politically or degrade Iran’s negotiating position.

Now that public security conditions have improved in Iran, the West can comprehend that Iran does not intend to compromise on its interests in the talks, he added.

He continued by saying that a deal would soon be reached if the U.S. shows genuine political will, observing Iran’s redlines and legitimate demands.

Amouei stated that the agreement’s conclusion is dependent on the U.S.’s political will, and that if the other side is willing to return to its former duties and successfully lift the sanctions, Iran is also willing to take compensatory steps.

“If the other side returns to its obligations and lifts the sanctions we will also take compensatory measures,” he remarked.

“The conversations have never been interrupted, and they have been monitored through mediation, conveying signals, and informal draft texts,” the Iranian legislator remarked.

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Iran Not to Accept Any Geopolitical Change in Region

mahla — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 05:40:56 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s foreign minister has ringed the alarm about Israel’s presence in the Caucasus, stressing Tehran will not tolerate a geopolitical change in the region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is deeply concerned by Israel’s presence in the Caucasus,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday, stressing, Tehran “will not accept a map change in the region.”

He made the remarks at a press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

He added that Iran expects Russia to be sensitive to any potential changes in the borders in the region and the presence of terrorists and movements of the Zionist regime that threaten regional peace and stability.

The remarks came in reaction to recent developments along Iran’s northwestern borders and the latest remarks by Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.

Iran launched a drill, codenamed Fatehan-e Kheybar (Conquerors of Khaybar), in the northwest of the country on Friday, in line with efforts to boost its defense and deterrent capabilities in the face of potential threats.

Amir-Abdollahian said the Republic of Azerbaijan has held six maneuvers with some foreign parties, but Iran held only one exercise.

In addition to the presence of Daesh terrorists in the region, Iran has been suspicious of Azerbaijan’s links to the Israeli regime, too.

Elsewhere in the presser, Amir-Abdollahian said, Iran and Russia “have agreed to discuss a treaty on strategic cooperation in the future, and soon, we will have a draft and we will issue a road map that will be the basis of our long-term cooperation.”

He lauded the bilateral ties between the two countries but underlined the need to “make a leap” in the promotion of cooperation.

He also praised his “fruitful” talks with his Russian counterpart on regional issues, including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and the Palestinian issue.

“We support the establishment of an inclusive government with all stakeholders included,” he commented on Afghanistan.

He also said that Tehran was ready to make arrangements for Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi for a visit to Tehran.

“We welcome any visit by the IAEA head to follow up on technical issues,” Amir-Abdollahian said, but expressed Iran’s dismay over the failure of the UN nuclear agency to condemn the terrorist incident at a nuclear facility in Karaj in north-central Iran.

For his part, Lavrov said he discussed with his Iranian counterpart specific ways to expand cooperation between the two countries “in bilateral projects based on the agreements achieved on the highest level.”

“We have a stable growth of trade, which despite the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions increased by 42 percent” this year, he said, adding, “We have agreed to boost our economic cooperation further and develop economic ties.”

He also rejected U.S. push for a West-style world order, stressing, “We oppose the rules-based world order that is promoted by the US and its Western allies that are trying to impose [it] on all international players.”

On the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the top Russian diplomat underscored the necessity for the implementation by all sides of UN Security Council resolution 2231 that endorses the agreement.

He also said the talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should be resumed as quickly as possible.

He echoed Iran’s stances that expect the US to resume its obligations according to the Iranian deal, but dismissed Washington’s expectation of Tehran to make certain changes so the US would re-enter the deal.

“As for the expectations of the US that Iran should make certain changes for the U.S. to re-enter the deal, it is something that we do not accept and that Iran does not accept,” Lavrov said.

He also said Iran and Russia see eye to eye over the fact that the US worsened the situation in Afghanistan in the past 20 years.

“Both countries believe that the people of Afghanistan have suffered a lot over the two decades of political experiments carried out by the U.S.,” he said, adding that the Afghans “have the right to freely decide the future of their land.”

“We believe that political stabilization is important to reach this goal,” he further commented.

Amir-Abdollahian’s visit to Moscow is his first since taking office as Iran’s foreign minister.

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Lavrov: Iran Russia work closely to ensure full implementation

mahla — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 06:17:09 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday said that Moscow and Tehran cooperate closely to make sure that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action aka JCPOA be implemented fully.

The following is the full text of Sergey Lavrov’s interview with IRNA.

Question: Could you tell us, please, what are the main goals of your visit to Iran? How has the Treaty on the Basis for Mutual Relations and the Principles of Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, concluded in March 2001, influenced the development of relations between the two countries?

Lavrov: Development of ties with Iran is one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities. This year, the 12th of March marked the 20th anniversary of the conclusion of the treaty that you have mentioned. It was signed by the Presidents of our countries in Moscow. By doing this, the sides confirmed their reciprocal commitment to building relations based on the principles of equality and mutual trust. Russia and Iran undertook to respect each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence and not to interfere into each other’s internal affairs.

It is, to a large extent, due to the consistent implementation of the Treaty’s provisions that our countries have reached such an unprecedentedly high level of interaction, which is today intensive and diversified. We are strengthening our ties in the political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, humanitarian and some other fields. Implementation of major infrastructure projects is underway in Iran, including the construction and operation of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Cooperation in the field of healthcare and fight against the spread of the COVID‑19 infection is advancing. Iran is supplied with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, and there are plans to organize its production in the Iranian territory.

Moscow and Teheran work closely to ensure the full implementation of the JCPOA. We successfully coordinate our efforts to achieve a Syrian settlement within the Astana format, which has proved its effectiveness, and hold regular dialogue on the situation in the Middle East as a whole. We can confidently say that the Russian-Iranian cooperation contributes to maintaining regional stability, and, more broadly, to the development of international relations on the basis of the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.

During the forthcoming negotiations with my Iranian counterpart, Mr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, I am planning to discuss ways to further enhance the multifaceted Russian-Iranian ties.

Question: Iran and Russia have a special role to play and a special strategy to pursue in the region, particularly as regards the development of the North–South Transport Corridor. What steps should be taken by the two countries under this project and what obstacles could they face? How is this project expected to influence the transportation of goods in the region and globally?

Lavrov: Sustainable increase in trade and economic cooperation largely depends on the developed logistics network. The North–South International Transport Corridor is a good example of multilateral collaboration. It is the key infrastructure project in the region designed to promote mutually beneficial interaction between multiple states.

Our countries play a leading role in the implementation of this initiative, as most part of the land route runs through their territories. Building modern road infrastructure is of special importance in this regard. The Russian government has approved and launched relevant plans and programs, including for the Caspian Sea region. We know that Teheran also devotes special attention to this issue. We expect that our Iranian partners will successfully finish the construction of the approaches to the Caspian port (the Anzali Free Trade Zone) and the railway to Azerbaijan. This will substantially boost the competitiveness of the North–South ITC and its attractiveness for shippers.

The development of cooperation between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union also serves the goal of the successful functioning of the transport corridor. It was formalized in 2018 by signing of the Interim Agreement enabling formation of a free trade area (entered into force in October 2019). On 11 December 2020, a decision was taken to conclude a permanent agreement on the free trade area. For our part, we will continue to assist this work in every possible way.

We hope that the North–South ITC will eventually serve as the basis for the creation of a single “seamless” transport, logistics, and economic space stretching from the southern coasts of Iran to northern cities of Russia. Addressing such a task appears especially relevant at the moment when the recent incident with the blocking of the Suez Canal has highlighted the need for reliable land transport routes.

Question: The new US government seems to continue pursuing Donald Trump’s policy but in a new form. What do you think of it? What can our countries do to counter the use of unilateral approaches by the Biden administration?

Lavrov: The main problem, as we see it, is Washington’s persistent unwillingness to abandon its flawed course towards upholding the US’s global dominance, which was adopted in the early 1990’s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today, it is obvious to everyone that such a policy is entirely counterproductive, particularly given that the objective process of shaping a fairer, more democratic and therefore more sustainable multipolar world order is gaining momentum right before our eyes.

Despite this, the United States, supported by its European allies, has been taking aggressive steps aimed at destroying the UN-centered international legal architecture and substituting it with the so-called “rule-based order.” It is not that we oppose the idea of everyone following the rules, yet these rules should be developed not within a narrow circle comprising Washington and its satellites and bypassing the United Nations but within universal formats involving all key global players based on the existing universally recognized norms of international law.

In this context, I would like to highlight the phenomenon of an unprecedented extensive pressure put by the West on States that are implementing an independent domestic and foreign policy guided by their national interests. This involves all sorts of tools ranging from financial sanctions and visa restrictions to disinformation campaigns and direct forceful interventions. We are, in fact, faced with the relapse into neo-colonial thinking in foreign policy, which implies, among other things, dividing the world into the “chosen” countries and all the rest. While the former are offered an a priori pardon for any actions, the latter must presumably act in line with instructions issued by Washington. This is, of course, unacceptable for both Russia and Iran, as well as most countries of the world.

As for the second part of the question, it is important that we strengthen our foreign policy interaction, including within the United Nations and other multilateral platforms. Especially given that, as I have already mentioned, we have a lot of supporters – most of the members of the world community share the view that inter-State communication should be developed based on international law and principles of mutual respect, taking account of each other’s interests. Like us, they consider zero-sum geopolitical games, sanctions, and blackmail to be unacceptable and advocate for consistent improvement of the situation in the world.

Question: Iran has repeatedly claimed that it has never sought nuclear weapons. The United States withdrew from the JCPOA and imposed tough sanctions on Iran. Iran will resume its obligations if the US lifts the sanctions. Does the world community, and Russia in particular, have a plan to address US sanctions?

Lavrov: Russia firmly believes that there is no reasonable alternative to the JCPOA. As President Putin has repeatedly emphasized, the most effective way to maintain the 2015 arrangements is for the signatory countries to fully comply with their obligations. The launch of substantive talks on that matter in Vienna involving Iranian and US delegates gives hope – first of all, the hope that previous violations of the JCPOA and UNSC Resolution 2231 by the US will be remedied. This will create conditions for Iran to return to compliance with the requirements under the nuclear deal, in terms of both transparency and reconfiguration of the Iranian nuclear program. We do our best to help Washington and Teheran find the right solution.

As for the sanctions policy pursued by Washington, our stance remains unchanged – we will continue to reject any unilateral restrictions, which – on top of everything else – affect the most disadvantaged groups of the population. Russia has been vocal about the inadmissibility of such restrictions at various international platforms, including the United Nations. I am pleased to note that our position is widely supported by members of the world community.

It is equally important to step up efforts to reduce risks associated with sanctions and potential expenses for economic operators. In particular, gradual steps should be taken to move towards de-dollarization of national economies and transition to payments in national or alternative currencies, as well as to stop using international payment systems controlled by the West. Russia has been working actively to that end. We see great prospects for cooperation in that field with all interested international partners.

Earlier today, Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said that Lavrov’s visit to Tehran aims to sign an action plan for economic cooperation with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

He said that Lavrov would meet Iranian officials and discuss bilateral, regional, and international issues including the JPOCA, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and economic issues.

Jalali said that Lavrov’s trip is significant because it’s taking place after the Supreme Leader of Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently exchanged messages, which according to him, contained important points on Tehran-Moscow cooperation.

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Lavrov: Ceasefire in Karabakh Not Fully Observed

reporter 1222 — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 13:06:04 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – The ceasefire agreements reached in Moscow on Nagorno-Karabakh are not fully observed, Russia’s top diplomat said.

Sergei Lavrov said this on Monday, opening negotiations with his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, TASS reported.

“Last Friday and Saturday, at least part of Saturday, we spent here in this building, together with our Azerbaijani counterpart. An important agreement was reached at the initiative of President (Russian Federation Vladimir) Putin. We see that this agreement is not yet fully observed At least the fighting continues,” Lavrov said.

The Russian Foreign Minister expressed hope that Russia’s contacts with Armenia and Azerbaijan would contribute to the full implementation of the agreements on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, agreed on Saturday night in Moscow in a trilateral format.

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Putin to Visit Seoul After Coronavirus Normalizes

reporter 1222 — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:37:28 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – South Korea and Russia will discuss President Vladimir Putin’s possible visit to Seoul as soon as the new coronavirus situation normalizes, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

In a recent written interview with Yonhap News Agency, Lavrov also reiterated Moscow’s hope for trilateral economic cooperation involving the two Koreas and Russia, which he said would not only serve their economic interests but also help strengthen peace on the Korean Peninsula.

“There has been regular political dialogue between the two countries, including high-level ones. President Moon Jae-in’s state visit to Russia from June 21-23, 2018, marked a significant event (in bilateral ties),” Lavrov said.

“We plan to start discussions with Seoul over President Vladimir Putin’s visit to South Korea as soon as the public health and pandemic situation normalizes,” he added during the interview conducted on the occasion of the 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Russia

Seoul and Moscow have sought to arrange Putin’s trip here based on the mutual understanding that his visit would add fresh momentum to strengthen two-way diplomatic and economic cooperation.

Touching on bilateral economic ties, the minister stressed the potential for trilateral cooperation projects involving the two Koreas and his country, such as the logistics scheme using a railway linking the North’s port city of Rajin and Russia’s border town of Khasan.

Lavrov, in particular, pointed out that the Rajin-Khasan project does not run afoul of UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang, as he called for more practical steps to engage with the North.

“Rather than waiting for the lifting of international sanctions on North Korea, I think it is important for us to embark on practical steps,” the minister said.

“Considering that the Rajin-Khasan project is not subject to the UN sanctions, I believe that with the participation of South Korean firms interested in the project, the transportation of Russian coal to South Korea through the Rajin port can be the first move in this direction,” he added.

The Rajin-Khasan project got bogged down after Pyongyang’s nuclear test and long-range rocket launch in 2016. An array of inter-Korean projects has also been put on hold amid an impasse in nuclear talks between the US and the North.

Commenting on stalled efforts to denuclearize North Korea and foster lasting peace on the divided peninsula, Lavrov underscored the need for the “actual implementation” of peace agreements reached between the leaders of the two Koreas and between the leaders of the United States and the North.

The minister also called for the countries involved in the peace efforts to focus on strengthening their mutual trust.

“I am convinced that there is a need for the two Koreas, and for the North and the US to focus on normalizing their bilateral ties and strengthening mutual trust rather than trying to resolve all of the long-standing, comprehensive regional issues right away just between them,” he said.

“The resolution of the regional comprehensive issues is the task concerning all related countries, and they can be settled only through joint efforts that respect their mutual, legal understanding,” he added.

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Lavrov: Iran, Russia Reject US Effort to Extend Arms Embargo

reporter 1222 — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 04:58:27 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Russia’s foreign minister said on Thursday Moscow and Tehran roundly reject an underway effort by the US to “permanently” extend an arms embargo against Iran that will legally expire next month.

“We discussed in detail the situation surrounding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” Lavrov said at a joint press conference that followed a meeting with his visiting Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Moscow.

“We stressed that Moscow and Tehran, like the entire international community, categorically reject US ambitions to impose some kind of indefinite arms embargo,” said the Russian top diplomat, according to Press TV.

The ban on sales of conventional weapons to Iran is set to expire on October 18 under the JCPOA, a nuclear agreement that was signed between Iran and the US, the UK, France, Russia, and China plus Germany in Vienna in 2015.

The US left the deal in 2018, thus losing all of its rights to invoke its provisions, including a snapback mechanism that enables reimposition of the United Nations sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alleged that “virtually all UN sanctions have returned on Iran,” including “a permanent extension of the arms embargo.” “We will not hesitate to enforce our sanctions, and we expect all UN Member States to fully comply with their obligations under these reimposed restrictions,” he added.

This is while, 13 of the UN Security Council’s 15-strong members, including Russia and China, have notified the US that they would not fall into line with the US’ snapback bid, reminding that Washington’s departure from the JCPOA has caused it to lose its contractual rights.

“We have heard the US statement that, despite the will of the entire international community, they will proceed from the premise that the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions against Iran would be restored at Washington’s whim. These attempts using illegal means have no prospect of succeeding,” Lavrov added.

“We agreed to continue the implementation of major joint investment projects, first and foremost in the sphere of energy, including nuclear power, as well as transportation and industrial cooperation,” the Russian foreign minister stressed concerning underway cooperation between Iran and Russia.

He also announced that the Russian-Iranian Joint Economic Commission would be meeting before the end of the year in line with the two countries’ common will to expand their relations.

Zarif expressed gratitude to Moscow and Beijing for their “playing an important role in confronting the US’ illegal efforts at the Security Council.”

Russia would take over the Council’s chairmanship on October 10, he noted, hoping that Moscow’s “effective role” in standing up to Washington’s campaign would sustain under the period too.

Zarif also hailed his talks with Lavrov as “good and constructive” and emphasized that the countries were “taking diligent efforts to boost their relations.”

“We enjoy cooperation in various areas, and hope to expand these instances of collaboration,” the Iranian foreign minister said.

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No Ban on Arms Sale after UN Embargo Expires; Lavrov Says

reporter 1222 — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 05:04:17 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there will be no ban on the sales of weapons to Iran after a UN arms embargo on the Islamic Republic expires next month.

“There is no such thing as an arms embargo against Iran,” Lavrov told Al Arabiya TV news channel in an interview released on Tuesday.

Lavrov said a UN Security Council resolution adopted to endorse Iran’s nuclear deal in 2015 says that “on the 18th October 2020 this regime of sales to Iran would stop and there is no embargo and there would no limitations whatsoever after the expiration of this timeframe”.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this month that Washington would prevent Tehran from purchasing Chinese tanks and Russian air defense systems as it failed to win support for a new UN resolution to extend the UN arms embargo.

The administration of US President Donald Trump says it is “snapping back” virtually all UN sanctions on Iran lifted under the 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers negotiated by former US president Barack Obama.

Trump pulled out of the deal with fanfare in 2018, but Pompeo argues that the United States is still a “participant” in the deal – with the right to impose sanctions for violations.

The argument has been rejected by almost the entire UN Security Council, with European allies of the United States saying the priority is to salvage a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear program.

Lavrov said the Americans say “many funny things” when they claim to be still a participant in Iran’s nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“I can only remind them that they should respect the hierarchy in the American administration because their boss, President Trump personally signed an official decree dropping the United States from the JCPOA, any say which the Americans used to have as equal participants of the JCPOA has evaporated since then,” the top Russian diplomat said.

Lavrov said unilateral sanctions that are not provided by the United Nations Charter are “absolutely illegitimate”.

The United States on Monday imposed new sanctions on Iran’s Defense Ministry and others involved in its nuclear and missile program.

Russia-Iran military cooperation

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax on Tuesday that US sanctions against Iran would have no political or practical consequences for Moscow’s cooperation with Tehran.

Ryabkov said Russia will develop military cooperation with Iran after the UN arms embargo on the Islamic Republic expires.

“New opportunities will emerge in our cooperation with Iran after the special regime imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231 expires on October 18.”

“The amount of this cooperation and the areas in which it will develop is a separate question,” he added.

Ryabkov said any agreements with Iran would have “nothing to do with the unlawful and illegal actions of the US administration, which is trying to intimidate the entire world”.

AFP and Reuters contributed to this story.

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