Sputnik - Russian acting Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif to discuss the Iranian nuclear deal after Washington�s withdrawal from the multilateral agreement.




Lavrov said at�meeting with�Iranian foreign minister that it is necessary to�prevent any new threats to�non-proliferation regime.

Russia and a number of�other countries have legitimate interests in�the Iranian nuclear deal and they must be jointly defended, Lavrov said.
"We have planned contacts with�all parties to�this deal, except�for the United States which announced the withdrawal from�the agreement, in�the coming days," Lavrov said.


Mohammad Javad Zarif said that balance within�JCPOA was altered following�the US withdrawal from�the multilateral agreement. He added that Iran will discuss ways of�cooperation in�4+1 format within�JCPOA.
"Russia's position is encouraging for�us. I hope that today I will be able to�hold consultations with�you on�the ways of�cooperation in�the 4 + 1 format," Zarif said at�a meeting with�Lavrov.


"Unfortunately, the protest against�international rules and laws has become a habitual practice for�the US government� The JCPOA corresponds to�the balance of�commitments between�the Iranian side and Europe and, in�particular, the United States, and of�course this balance has been undermined after�the US withdrawal," Zarif said.

The current tensions around�the Iranian nuclear deal followed announcement of�the US President Donald Trump that the United States would pull out�of the deal. Together with�withdrawal, Trump announced Washington's plans to�renew its sanctions against�Tehran.

Iran expressed his opposition to�Trump's move.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron also expressed concerns over�Washington's decision.

The Iranian nuclear deal was reached in�2015 between�Iran, the P5+1 group, inducing the five permanent members of�the United Nations Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), plus Germany, and the European Union.