Russian Lavrov in Iran will discuss the nuclear agreement and co-operation

DUBAI (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Iran on Wednesday, Iranian state television reported, as world powers and Tehran struggled to revive their 2015 nuclear pact and talks stalled.

Russia’s foreign ministry released a video of Lavrov’s introductory remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, in which he said Moscow was adapting to what he called the West’s aggressive policy.

“In all countries that are negatively affected by the selfish line taken by the United States and its satellites, there is an objective need to reconfigure their economic relations so as not to rely on the whims and caprices of our Western partners,” Lavrov said. .

Last month, Moscow said Russia and Iran, which are under Western sanctions and have some of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves, have discussed exchanging oil and gas supplies and setting up a logistics center.

While Moscow is challenging Western sanctions on Ukraine, Tehran’s clerics are struggling to keep Iran’s economy afloat over US sanctions, which were imposed again after Washington withdrew from Tehran’s 2018 nuclear deal.

“During Lavrov’s visit, Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement, which strengthens bilateral and energy co-operation, as well as international and regional issues, will be discussed,” Iranian state media reported.

Iranian state television showed Lavrov’s meeting with Raisi, but did not give details. Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Lavrov’s visit was aimed at “expanding co-operation with the Eurasian region and the Caucasus”.

Indirect talks between Tehran and the administration of US President Joe Biden to restore the pact have been delayed since March, largely because of Tehran’s insistence that Washington remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the US list of certain terrorist organizations.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA said Lavrov would meet with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdolahyan on Thursday.

(Written by Paris Hafezi and David Ljunggren; Edited by Nick McPhee and Grant McCool)