Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s support on Friday (20 February) for the negotiation process between Washington and Tehran amid escalating regional tensions.
In a telephone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Lavrov expressed Moscow’s backing for negotiations aimed at securing “fair political and diplomatic solutions” that respect Tehran’s legitimate rights.
The discussions, the Foreign Ministry said, are in line with the principles of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Noting the call took place at Tehran’s initiative, the statement said Lavrov and Araghchi exchanged views on the current situation surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme, while taking into account the results of indirect U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva, Switzerland.
“Some issues of mutual interest on the bilateral agenda were also discussed,” the statement added.
The U.S. and Iran concluded a second round of indirect negotiations mediated by Oman on Tuesday, with both sides acknowledging progress amid a growing American military buildup in the region.
Shortly after the Geneva talks, U.S. Vice President JD Vance described the process as productive "in some ways," but said Tehran was "not yet willing" to engage on some of Trump's "red lines."
Araghchi said talks showed progress, describing the atmosphere as "more constructive."
Washington has significantly stepped up its military presence in the region, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, with the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier on its way to the region, along with additional fighter jets.
The Geneva meeting was the second round of negotiations since U.S. President Donald Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities during the 12-day Iran-Israel war last June. The first round was held in Muscat, Oman, on 6 February.
Trump said On Thursday, it will be clear if it is possible to make a deal with Iran "over the next probably 10 days," warning that Washington "may have to take it a step further" if negotiations fall short.
Earlier, the Kremlin called on Iran and all regional partners to "exercise restraint and caution," describing the tensions as "unprecedented."
Türkiye is set to receive Russian diesel under a U.S.-backed agreement, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Sunday, as Ankara pushes a...
Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Tajikistan on Sunday for an official visit and a major regional summit, with security, trade and transport link...
The U.S. and five Central Asian nations have held high-level talks in Samarkand, focusing on trade, investment and regional security as Washington ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
What started out as planned protests against the cost of living, declining public services and education funding in France, quickly devolved into violent riots across the country on Saturday.
The day after waiving sanctions and tariffs related to Russian exports, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he has yet to announce a final decision on the matter as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said officials want more time to evaluate the situation.
A Saudi AH-6i helicopter crashed in the Najran region of Saudi Arabia due to a technical malfunction, killing its two crew members, the Saudi-led coalition's spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki said in a statement on Sunday.
An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Tajikistan on Sunday for an official visit and a major regional summit, with security, trade and transport links high on the agenda as Beijing strengthens its ties with Central Asia.
The U.S. and five Central Asian nations have held high-level talks in Samarkand, focusing on trade, investment and regional security as Washington seeks to strengthen its presence in the strategically important region.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has cut monthly food assistance to 500,000 people in Gaza amid severe funding shortages, with around two-thirds of the population facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse.
Strong winds that fuelled a deadly grass fire are what killed four Canadian soldiers and sent 39 people to hospital at a military training area in Alberta, Canada, according to authorities. 19 people remain in critical condition. The winds caused the flames to spread rapidly.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment