Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow does not regard the current discussions aimed at reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for Iran’s nuclear program as a dead end. He indicated that the door remains open for a political decision, even as Western powers continue to cast the so-called Iranian threat in stark terms.
Lavrov asserted that Russian diplomacy will not yield to defeatism and pushed back against the narrative of an imminent impasse. He remarked that the West is painting a picture of a point of no return, claiming that all prospects have vanished.
He noted that while some nations seek to frighten the world about Iran, it should be remembered that the JCPOA functioned effectively until the United States unilaterally exited the agreement and violated its obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 in May 2018, a fact he described with emphasis and clarity.
Lavrov described the restart discussions as moving from a technical phase toward a political decision point, stating that the main approaches have already been outlined and that responsible choices are now required. He also indicated Russia’s readiness to support such a development as it unfolds.
The Russian minister recalled that Moscow previously put forward a straightforward approach in which Washington and Tehran would align their efforts, progressing together toward a comprehensive return to the JCPOA’s full range of obligations. He stressed that the details of that model had been studied thoroughly and prepared for practical application.
He warned that real political will could carry the scenario forward, noting that the path many Western actors chose—gradual momentum that stalled—contributed to domestic political recalibration within Iran rather than advancing the agreement’s goals.
Lavrov also offered a candid assessment of the current political climate. He suggested that the ability to engage constructively torques around the negotiation table could be hindered by extrajudicial actions against dissidents in Ukraine and other complicating factors, which he described as a challenge to finding suitable interlocutors in the present moment.