TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali met with Syromolotov Oleg, Russia’s deputy minister of foreign affairs for counterterrorism, to discuss the fight against terrorism and extremism, Iran’s state news IRNA reported on Friday. 

Jalali and Syromolotov discussed the prospects of Iran-Russia cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

In recent years, Iran and Russia have had extensive cooperation in countering international terrorism.

Tehran and Moscow, along with Baghdad, set up a counter-terrorism exchange center a few years ago to fight terrorist groups, particularly Daesh, in the Iraqi capital, which is still working to fight terrorists, IRNA said.

IRNA added that Iran and Russia have also played an important role in the fight against Daesh in Syria, and their assistance and support to Syria led to the heavy and deadly defeat of the Daesh terrorist group, despite the support of some countries in the region and the West.

Iran and Russia are currently working together to combat terrorism and security threats posed by the activities and presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

On May 14, Jalali met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. The meeting focused on the current situation surrounding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The two sides also stressed the importance of coordination and efforts of all members of the JCPOA for a sustainable implementation of the nuclear deal in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.

During the meeting, Jalali praised Russia's “principled and rational stance in support of the JCPOA and UNSC Resolution 2231 and its opposition to the illegal U.S. actions and sanctions” against Iran.

Iran is in close contact with Russia during the Vienna nuclear talks, and the Iranian negotiating team, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, has met with the Russian delegation, which is led by Moscow’s Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov.

Ulyanov has recently said “significant progress” was made in the latest round of the Vienna talks. “I said that significant progress has been achieved, in my view. That is true. But unresolved issues still remain and the negotiators need more time and efforts to finalize an agreement on restoration of JCPOA,” the Russian diplomat said on Twitter.

The fourth round of the Vienna nuclear talks began nearly two weeks ago when Araghchi, along with a delegation of Iranian experts and diplomats, left Tehran for Vienna to resume the talks over the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal.

On Wednesday, the JCPOA Joint Commission held another meeting in which the parties to the JCPOA reviewed the latest progress made during the fourth round of talks. Araghchi said that “good progress” was made in terms of moving ahead in the nuclear talks but a few key issues remain unresolved which means that the negotiating teams should return to capitals to make some decisions.

“After two weeks of negotiations, we will have a meeting to conclude, and then the delegations will return to the capitals for consultations,” Araghchi told Iran’s state media late on Tuesday.

SM/PA