Foreign minister also defends his country�s ballistic-missile tests as permitted under the nuclear deal

CANBERRA, Australia�Russia�s decision to begin withdrawing troops from Syria is a positive sign, Iran�s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said, while warning it is too early to judge whether the start of peace talks means the conflict has turned a corner.

�The fact that Russia announced they are withdrawing part of its forces indicates that they don�t see an imminent need for resort to force in maintaining the cease-fire,� said Mr. Zarif, in Australia on a trade mission. �That in and of itself could be a positive sign. We have to wait and see.�

Saying their principal mission had been accomplished, Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly ordered his country�s armed forces to start withdrawing as peace talks got under way Monday.

By The Wall Street Journal