Iranian Foreign Minister visits Russia to try to save nuclear deal

IRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif touched down in Moscow yesterday as part of a series of international diplomatic meetings aimed at saving the Iran nuclear deal following the United States’ withdrawal.

Zarif will be discussing the agreement with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported. It follows a visit by the Iranian diplomat to Beijing on Sunday where he stressed the importance of keeping the accords, which were signed in 2015 with the aim of both halting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and stimulating the country’s economy. Lavrov and Zarif will discuss the “possibility of preserving the Iran nuclear deal,” according to Russian state media agency TASS. Moscow has previously stated its strong support for the agreement.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 the US would be withdrawing from the deal, which was signed under former President Barack Obama, saying it was “defective at its core.” Trump also said he planned to reintroduce the highest level of economic sanctions on Iran. But other countries around the world, including Germany, France and the United Kingdom, have said they would like to keep the original deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), in place.

(CNN)