Iran seeks Russian support ahead of nuclear talks with US

Ahead of today’s second round talks with the US, Iran sought Russia’s backing for a potential agreement with the United States on its rapidly advancing nuclear programme. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi briefed his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on the initial discussions held in Oman last week.
Araghchi praised Russia’s role in the 2015 nuclear deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities. “We are optimistic and expect Russia to maintain its supportive stance in any new accord,” he said during a joint press conference.
Araghchi visited Russia on April 17 prior to the talks and also met President Vladimir Putin and delivered a letter from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Describing the discussions as productive, Araghchi noted that all strategic issues between Iran and Russia were thoroughly explored. Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed Russia’s support for the peace talks, hoping the negotiations would reduce tensions. “We welcome contacts in Oman, as they may de-escalate tensions around Iran,” Peskov told reporters, advocating for a diplomatic resolution.
However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko clarified that Russia would not provide military support to Iran in the event of conflict with the US. Addressing Russia’s State Duma, Rudenko warned of catastrophic regional consequences and Russia’s desire to avoid further conflict.
The 2015 nuclear deal collapsed in 2018 after the US, under President Trump, withdrew unilaterally. Iran subsequently abandoned nuclear limits, enriching uranium to 60 per cent purity, nearing weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent.
Lavrov, meanwhile, affirmed Russia’s readiness to mediate, stating, “We are prepared to assist and undertake any role Iran deems useful and acceptable to the US, focusing solely on nuclear issues. We proceed from the fact that the only option for an agreement is an agreement exclusively on nuclear issues.”
The US is playing mind games with Iran as talks are ready to start. In Paris, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked European allies to maintain sanctions on Iran, citing an impending IAEA report indicating Iran’s non-compliance and proximity to nuclear weapon capability. “If Iran is out of compliance, sanctions must be reimposed,” Rubio stressed.
Diplomacy, however, is still being given a chance. In Rome, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi, who is mediating the US-Iran talks. Tajani endorsed Oman’s efforts, expressing hope that the Rome discussions would accelerate a diplomatic solution vital for Middle East stability. Italy, Tajani added, stands ready to support initiatives promoting peace and international stability.
Khamenei, meanwhile, endorsed the progress of talks, but sounded cautious about their success. “We shouldn’t be overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic," he said, speaking to senior officials in Tehran. He asked them not to tie Iran’s affairs to the talks. “Of course, we don’t fully trust them. We know who we are dealing with. But we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”
Middle East