Iran president praises Russia’s role in maintaining JCPOA

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has commended Russia for its role in bringing the Iran nuclear deal into fruition and maintaining it despite the US’ illegal withdrawal.

Rouhani made the remarks in a Friday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tehran.

“Despite Washington’s illegal and unilateral withdrawal from the deal, we hope the other parties would decisively and practically support it and live up to their commitments in full,” he noted, referring to a decision by US President Donald Trump to pull his country out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May.

Putin, for his part, highlighted the need for all parties to the 2015 accord to fulfill their commitments and protect it.

Russia plans to hold talks with the remaining JCPOA parties to find solutions to maintain and develop economic relations with Iran within the deal’s framework, the Russian leader noted.

Putin stated that those talks will continue on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Unlike his Iranian counterpart, the Russian president has no plan to attend the 73rd UN General Assembly session due to be held later this month in New York, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last month. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as the head of the Russian delegation, is expected to hold extensive talks with his counterparts on ways to salvage the nuclear deal on the margins of the UN General Assembly.

PressTV-Russia vows to do everything to save Iran deal

The Russian Foreign Ministry says Moscow will do its utmost to keep the 2015 Iran nuclear deal alive following the US pullout.

Iran, Russia to enhance business relations

During the Friday meeting, Rouhani said Tehran and Moscow must tap the new opportunities for expansion of cooperation and development of multilateralism.

Expansion of banking ties between Iran and Russia will play a crucial role in promotion of Tehran-Moscow business cooperation, he noted.

Rouhani also urged the two countries’ officials to speed up implementing earlier agreements and develop mutual cooperation in various fields, including energy, joint investment in construction of power plants, railroads, and infrastructure projects, among others.

In turn, Putin underlined the need for the development of bilateral banking relations and the use of national currencies in business transactions, vowing that no Russian firm would withdraw from any Iranian project amid the US sanctions imposed against Iran after Washington's pullout from the nuclear deal.

The use of national currencies in bilateral trade is what Iran, Russia, China, and Turkey are pursuing in a bid to ditch the US dollar in their business relations.

PressTV-Russia, Iran, Turkey mobilize in currency war

Iran and Turkey signed an agreement last year to use local currencies in trade while Tehran and Moscow discuss a similar arrangement.

Putin also hailed the existing grounds for enhancement of cooperation in the trade, economy, agriculture, nuclear energy and infrastructure fields, saying his country is prepared to work with Tehran in constructing the International North-South Transport Corridor.

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