Russia will make all possible efforts to ensure that a deal is reached on Iran’s nuclear program, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday.
“I want to reassure you that Russia will do everything in its power, like before, so that the agreement, satisfying the Iranian side, ensuring Iran’s rights in the nuclear sphere is reached,” Sputnik quoted Ryabkov as telling journalists.
Ryabkov who represents Russia in the nuclear talks with Iran also said Moscow is against unilateral sanctions and pressure on Tehran.
“And it is important that now we are close to a solution which would relieve the Iranian people, the Iranian state from this sanctions pressure,” Ryabkov explained.
Russia is a member of the 5+1 group of mediators that have until the end of June to hammer out a final nuclear deal with Iran.
The Islamic Republic has been insisting that its nuclear research is solely for peaceful purposes.
In a move that is feared to impede the nuclear negotiations, the U.S. Senate passed a legislation on Thursday that requires congressional review of any U.S. nuclear deal with Iran. However, Ryabkov said Moscow does not regard the passage of the legislation as a threat to the Iran nuclear talks.
“I do not think there is a threat that anti-Iran or anti-Russia forces in the U.S. Congress would resort to procedural tricks or use provisions of this legislation to torpedo the agreements,” the senior Russian diplomat said.
Following the passage of the bill, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez confirmed to Sputnik that U.S. and Iranian negotiators will now face additional oversight.
IRNA
R.S