Iranian, Russian FMs discuss latest developments on Iran's nuclear issue

Tehran, Aug 23 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov have exchanged views on the latest developments regarding Iran's nuclear issue.

In a phone call on Friday, the two sides discussed threats by France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, to reinstate international sanctions on Iran on the verge of the expiration of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, said a statement released by the Iranian foreign ministry early on Saturday.

The statement said the E3 has no legal and moral competence to resort to the snapback mechanism and reinstate the Security Council's sanctions on Tehran as it has "flagrantly violated" Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 JCPOA, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The "snapback" clause, part of the JCPOA, allows world powers to reimpose international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the deal, reports Xinhua news agency.

The statement added that the ministers also exchanged views on the path ahead of the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the West, stressing that Resolution 2231 should end at the scheduled date, which falls on October 18.

Earlier in the day, Araghchi held a joint phone call with the E3 foreign ministers and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, elaborating on Iran's positions regarding the potential triggering of the snapback mechanism and the resumption of negotiations between Iran and the Europeans.

During the phone call, it was decided that Iran and the E3 would resume nuclear talks next Tuesday at the level of deputy foreign ministers.

Since September last year, Iran has held several rounds of talks with the three European states, most recently in Istanbul in late July.

--IANS

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