Russia, US Discuss Reviving Iran Nuclear Deal

Iran

October 6th, 8:15am

Asharq Al-Awsat

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a meeting at the Harpa Concert Hall, on the sidelines of the Arctic Council Ministerial summit, in Reykjavik, Iceland. Reuters file photo

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has discussed reviving Iran's nuclear deal with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Lavrov was set to meet his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian later in the day. US President Joe Biden's national security adviser told his Israeli counterpart on Tuesday that diplomacy is the best way to rein in Iran's nuclear program even as he reaffirmed Biden's warning to Tehran that Washington could turn to other options if negotiations fail. Biden senior aide Jake Sullivan hosted Israeli national security adviser Eyal Hulata for talks which, according to a US official, gave the two allies a chance to share intelligence and develop a "baseline assessment" of how far Tehran's nuclear program has advanced. Under a 2015 deal, Iran curbed its uranium enrichment program, a possible pathway to nuclear arms, in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. Then-US President Donald Trump quit the deal in 2018 and the Israeli government opposes US efforts to revive it.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3229531/russia-us-discuss-reviving-iran-nuclear-deal