Recently the multi-year negotiating marathon was completed in coordinating the arrangements between the ‘Six’ international mediators and Iran. A joint comprehensive action plan was agreed, consisting of a main document and five technically very specific applications, as well as a draft of the UN Security Council resolution. Three years ago it was managed to bring the negotiations out from a dead end because of the concept of gradualism and reciprocity proposed by Russian experts, when there were negotiations on the agreement, in which every step of Iran to meet the demands of the international community would be accompanied by counter-moves of the ‘Six’ and the United Nations to ease sanctions pressure until the final withdrawal of the restrictions.
Moscow pledged to participate actively in practical activities to implement the agreements. This applies to issues of exports of low-enriched uranium from Iran to Russia in exchange for the supply of natural uranium and conversion of the now former processing facility in Ford's plant for the production of stable isotopes for medical and industrial purposes.
On August 17 in Moscow talks were held between the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Iran, Sergei Lavrov and Mohammad Javad Zarif, who agreed that the achievement of a comprehensive agreement in Vienna on Iran's nuclear program opens up additional opportunities for a deepening of the multifaceted Russian-Iranian cooperation.
According to Sergei Lavrov, a comprehensive action plan "satisfactorily resolve the situation around the Iranian nuclear program with full respect for Iran's right to peaceful nuclear activities, but also gives an opportunity to build confidence in the Iranian region.."
According to the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow and Tehran have "coinciding approaches regarding the situation that is unfolding in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, and other hot spots of the region. On all these issues Russia and Iran favor a national solution to the problems through dialogue, without outside interference, without imposing any outside prescriptions. "
As for bilateral relations, Lavrov singled out the economic cooperation, in particular in the field of nuclear energy, evidence of which is the Bushehr project. "It is very promising, a major trend, which will strengthen the power of Iran and at the same time ensure full compliance with non-proliferation, while respecting Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program,» Lavrov said.
Last year, trade turnover between Russia and Iran showed a positive trend, having increased by more than 5% to $ 1.7 billion.
According to the minister, there are prospects in the field of railway infrastructure, agriculture, cooperation in the Caspian Sea, in the military sphere. "In January of this year, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Tehran, where an agreement was signed on military cooperation, including in the context of the Caspian problem, it is an important task to prevent the threats and risks that exist and can escalate in the region," Lavrov said.
In humanitarian terms, we are talking about the opening of Iran's Russian Cultural Centre and the signing of an agreement, as well as a facilitation of the visa regime for citizens of Russia.
