MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. Iran is an ally of Russia, and Moscow sees a potential for a peace settlement regarding the country’s nuclear program, which is a concern for the United States, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated at a news briefing.
“The Russian position is that this issue – Iran’s nuclear dossier – should be resolved exclusively through peaceful, political, and diplomatic means,” Peskov said. “We believe there is potential for this.”
“As Iran is our ally and partner, a country with which we are developing comprehensive, mutually beneficial, and respectful cooperation, Russia is ready to do everything possible to facilitate this,” Peskov added. “The United States is aware of this.”
Iran’s nuclear program was briefly discussed in Riyadh during high-level talks between Moscow and Washington. “It was touched upon, but not in detail,” the Kremlin spokesman noted. “We anticipate separate discussions on this topic. In fact, this has been proposed: to establish it as a distinct area of our dialogue and future consultations.”
Iran has consistently pursued a civilian nuclear program; however, the West suspects that it may have military applications, which explains the sanctions against Tehran. In 2015, the United Nations Security Council, along with Germany, approved the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regarding Iran’s nuclear program, which was intended to lift sanctions on Tehran. However, US President Donald Trump canceled the agreement after taking office in 2016.
Since then, discussions on the matter have been repeatedly initiated but have ultimately failed due to Washington’s stance. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed willingness to renegotiate with the US. However, Iran’s spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, cautioned that Tehran regards Washington’s past actions as deceptive.