Ulyanov, who also represents Russia to those talks taking place in the Austrian capital Vienna, said parties to the negotiations are close to finalize an agreement on the revival of the Iran deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the JCPOA.
He told reporters in Vienna that an agreement is possible within days, but there are still a number of issues that need to be resolved.
The Russian envoy rejected speculations regarding his country’s role in the talks and said some are just accusing Moscow of prolonging the negotiations.
Ulyanov explained that free trade with Iran is among the goals of the JCPOA, and added that Russia, as one of the biggest trade partners of Iran, wants to maintain these relations with the Islamic Republic.
The Russian envoy also said when Iran was under intense pressure, none of the European parties to the JCPOA fulfilled their commitments. But, he added, Russia last year increased its trade with Iran by 84% compared with a year earlier.
Ulyanov said that Russia wants Europe and the US to stop interfering in its ties with Iran. He said Russia also wants them to refrain from imposing sanctions over Russia’s implementation of nuclear projects in Iran under the JCPOA or beyond it. But, he added that the reaction of the other sides to this demand has not been positive.
The Russian diplomat’s comments came after some American officials accused Moscow of increasing its demands on the Iranian nuclear deal.
The accord got into trouble in 2018 when the US unilaterally withdrew from it and reinstated sanctions on Iran. Tehran now says that the ongoing negotiations in Vienna should result in the verifiable removal of all those sanctions.
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