Russia, Iran ready to resume nuke talks in Vienna: Lavrov

Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that his country and Iran have agreed that negotiations on the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal in the Vienna format should resume as soon as possible.

Russia opposes attempts of some countries to link the preservation of the Iran nuclear deal with Tehran's concessions on other issues, Lavrov said on Wednesday during a joint press conference with his visiting Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian following their talks in Moscow.

Lavrov said that the international community is still waiting for the US to return to the nuclear deal and lift "illegal restrictions" on Iran and its economic partners.

Amir Abdollahian said that he had received signals from the US administration that the White House intends to return to the nuclear deal and take into account the rights and interests of the Iranian people.

While discussing Afghanistan, both officials called on the new authorities to fight terrorism and illegal arms and drug trafficking so that the country would stop being a source of regional and global instability.

Lavrov and Amir Abdollahian agreed to arrange a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in the foreseeable future.

They also agreed to launch the production of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in Iran as soon as possible.