Talks With Lavrov on Spectrum of Issues, Nuclear Topic Pivotal, says Zarif

Moscow – Talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will include a spectrum of miscellaneous issues, while nuclear negotiations will be a pivotal topic, Iranian foreign minister said after arrival in Moscow‘s Vancouver Airport Friday.

ˈEver since Mr. Rouhaniˈs election we have been pursuing a policy of very close relations with the Russian Federation as a strategic and serious partner as a neighbor, and as a country with shared stands on noticeable issues at the international scene,ˈ said Mohammad Javad Zarif addressing the reporters in the airport.

He referred to two rounds of talks between the two countriesˈ presidents in the course of the past year and the major developments in bilateral relations in that while, arguing that those matters and the rapid regional developments have made constant consultations between the two countriesˈ top officials necessary.

including negotiations on the construction of new nuclear reactors and bilateral nuclear cooperation.

He said that Iran hopes now that the country’s nuclear negotiations with the six world powers has reached its final stages consultations with Russia will be held at a broader scale, appreciating the close contacts between the deputy Russian foreign minister and Iranian negotiators in previous rounds of talks.

The Iranian top diplomat also highlighted the great significance of consultations with the Russian officials on ways to encounter the perils of the ISIS terroristsˈ nuisance and ever deeper cooperation with the Russians in that respect.

Iran nuclear dossier at sensitive juncture – Zarif

Meanwhile in Moscow, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday that Iran’s nuclear issue has entered into a sensitive juncture as Russia has always played a very active and positive role in such talks.

Speaking to IRNA and IRIB reporters in Moscow, Zarif said as member of the G5+1 and as a country which has had the most nuclear cooperation with Iran, Russia will play active role in the future of the country’s peaceful nuclear issue.

Given the prospect of nuclear cooperation between Iran and Russia, it is expected that Moscow would play a proactive and positive role in such talks, Zarif said.

ˈThe talks I will have with Mr. Lavrov during the visit, will help movement in the same direction,ˈ Zarif said.

Iran and Russia should conduct serious talks on Iranˈs nuclear program along with regional developments mainly in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Palestine, he said.

Presence of an extremist terrorist group, who commits savage atrocities in the region, has put security of the entire region at risk, he said.

Relations between Iran and Russia are promising and the two sidesˈ presidents have met twice and in the near future will meet each other, he said.

New chapter on expansion of bilateral relations is on the way which requires constant and regular exchange of views between the two sidesˈ officials, he said.

The two sidesˈ officials held various rounds of talks at various diplomatic levels and the current visit is on the same track, he said.

IRNA

R.S