“We are calling for lifting the embargo as soon as possible and we will support the choices that Iran’s negotiators make”, he said at a summit of BRICS countries – Brazil, China, India, Russian Federation and South Africa.
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Ahead of tonight’s deadline for talks in Vienna to reach an agreement on the Iran nuclear question, Russian Federation says a deal is within reach.
“In the current context, it would be pretty obscene as a political message if we resolve the nuclear issue but then give them money and the capacity to import and export arms”, a senior Western official said. “Iran is committed to fighting IS… and lifting the arms embargo will help it improve its ability to fight against terrorism”, Lavrov said.
The US and its Western allies suspect Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, while Iran says its program is for civilian energy and medical research.
A successful deal could be the biggest milestone in decades towards easing hostility between Iran and the United States, enemies since Iranian revolutionaries stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979.
Russia, a potential arms supplier, is backing Iran’s demand for the United Nations embargo to be lifted.
Talks on Iran’s nuclear program have hit a deadlock, which means they were set to miss another deadline as the Islamic Republic’s interlocutors argued over persistent differences, including lifting restrictions on arms sales.
A dispute over whether to lift an global embargo against selling conventional weapons to Iran threatens to derail negotiations over its nuclear program.
A European Council statement said the extension would “allow more time for the ongoing negotiations to reach a long term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue”.
He claimed there were no “insurmountable problems” left to tackle unless somebody tried to deliberately stall the negotiating process.
The USA has also said that it is taking the necessary technical steps to extend the Joint Plan of Action until Monday.
US President Barack Obama said Wednesday that the chances of a deal going through are “less than 50-50”.
“On the basis of the principles of gradualism and reciprocity, we have come close to a final agreement”.
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“Not only Iran and talks participants but all of the countries in the region including Arab countries and Israel are interested in this”, Putin said.
