The Russian diplomat is expected to “discuss with the Iranian officials the agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, the situation in Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan, the strengthening of trade and energy cooperation, as well as the development of cooperation in the Eurasian region and the Caucasus “, clarified the same source.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Tehran tonight for a two-day visit, where he met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, official sources said.
“As soon as he arrived in Tehran, Lavrov met with President Raisi,” Iribnews, the state-run television website, reported.
The Russian diplomat is expected to “discuss with the Iranian officials the agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, the situation in Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan, the strengthening of trade and energy cooperation, as well as the development of cooperation in the Eurasian region and the Caucasus “, clarified the same source.
Earlier in the day, the official Irna news agency reported that Lavrov was “expected to meet with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian on Thursday”, without elaborating.
The trip comes as Iran and Russia, two countries facing international sanctions, said in May they wanted to boost energy and trade ties at the end of a visit by the Russian deputy prime minister to Tehran.
It is also taking place in the context of the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program, which began in Vienna in April 2021 between Tehran and the major powers (Russia, USA, China, France, Britain and Germany) and have reached a stalemate since March.
The Vienna talks, in which the United States is indirectly involved, are aimed at reinstating Washington in the 2015 agreement that provides for the curtailment of Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for a relaxation of international sanctions.
The agreement collapses after the unilateral withdrawal in 2018 of the US, which reintroduced punitive measures against Tehran. In response, Iran gradually freed itself from its commitments, while denying that it wanted to acquire an atomic bomb.
The aim of the negotiations is also to restore Tehran to full compliance with its international commitments regarding its nuclear program, in exchange for the lifting of sanctions on Tehran.
While long rivals, Iran and Russia have improved their relations in recent years by adopting a clear political and military approach to serve their common geopolitical interests. Now the two countries are cooperating in many areas.
Moscow is playing a key role in implementing the 2015 agreement, mainly receiving surplus tonnes of enriched uranium from Tehran.
Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi traveled to Moscow in January, where he met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and presented him with a plan to strengthen bilateral relations over the next 20 years.
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