TEHRAN – The Russian envoy to Vienna talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, has rejected Western insinuations that there is a united front comprising of the West and Russia and China against Iran at the Vienna talks.

“Conceptually we are in favour of a different approach. We proceed from the understanding that all of us are “in one boat”. There’s no united front against #Iran at the #ViennaTalks,” Ulyanov said on Twitter.

He added, “Iran is our valuable and respectful partner. We need together to find solutions acceptable for all.”

The Russian diplomat posted the tweet in response to another tweet by Abolfazl Amouei, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, in which he rejected the deadline set by the West.

“‘Few weeks’ deadline is for West, not Iran. If you are serious about a good deal, stop stubbornness and accept Iran's proposals for removal of sanctions. Clock not ticking in your favor!” the Iranian lawmaker said.

Russia has been active in terms of commenting on the Vienna talks over the past few days. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has told RT the new Iranian negotiating team is professional. “Let’s not overdramatize. Iran’s team is new, but they adapted quickly & professionally. They prepared proposals that some Western participants didn’t take well at first but then admitted that they deserve to be analyzed,” he said. 

Commenting on the remarks of Lavrov, Ulyanov said, “Very precise assessment. Couldn’t be said better.”

He also underlined on Thursday that Russia and China are not united with the U.S. and its European partners in Vienna. Responding to a question by a Twitter user on whether there is a united front against Iran, Ulyanov said, “No. You provide a simplistic solution which #Russia (and I believe #China) can not agree with. We aren’t happy with rapid advancement of the IR nuclear programme, but this is the response to continued #US maximum pressure policy. Not only #Iran but both sides need to stop it!”

The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Rob Malley, has recently tried to portray Russia and China as supportive of the Western position in Vienna. This is simply not true. Because Russia and China have strongly supported Iran over the course of the talks, which ran up against difficulties due to European intransigence, especially on the part of France.

Malley set the time frame to save the JCPOA at “weeks,” threatening that, at some point in the not-so-distant future, the U.S. would abandon the hope of returning to the JCPOA and try to negotiate a wholly different deal.
In an interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson, Malley accused Iran of trying to “build more leverage by expanding their nuclear program and hoping to use that leverage to get a better deal. It won’t work.”

The Vienna talks will resume on Monday this week. Deputy EU foreign policy chief Enrique Mora has confirmed this. He said on Twitter, “Vienna Talks to resume on Monday 27 December. The #JCPOA Joint Commission will meet to discuss and define the way ahead. Important to pick up the pace on key outstanding issues and move forward, working closely with the US. Welcome to the 8th round.”