Sergey Lavrov:

. . . Other topics discussed in the bilateral format include the situation around Iran’s Nuclear Programme, and the reform of the UN Security Council. . .

Question (addressed to Sergey Lavrov): Syria is not the only regional crisis, in which Russia may play an important role in reaching a settlement. On the one side there is Bashar al-Assad, who does not believe in a political settlement in internal Syrian problems, but there is Iran with its new government, with which a dialogue may be launched, on the other side. . .

Sergey Lavrov:

 . . . As to the question about Iran, I would like to note that we welcome the statement of the new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani about his aspiration to continue cooperation with the Russian Federation. Iran is our close neighbour, we have many joint projects both bilateral and within the framework of the cooperation in the Caspian region. We welcome the statement of the new President of Iran about his readiness to resolve the nuclear problem of Iran. I will highlight that we absolutely agree with his words: we should resolve this problem like any other problem based on a respectful attitude towards our partners rather than ultimatums. We have a basis for this. Within the framework of three plus three negotiations, the ground has been prepared to start considering in detail the removal of the concerns of the global community in response to on-coming steps to mitigate and, finally, remove the pressure of sanctions. It is extremely important now to support such a disposition of the Iranian government. We welcome the initiative of Italy to send its Deputy Foreign Minister to Tehran to continue the endless contacts of Italy with Russia. We think that such constructive approaches are now in demand more than ever. Not everybody likes this, many would like to advance their own agenda and to attain the replacement of the regime rather than a clarification of the issues within the framework of Iran’s Nuclear Programme. We know all of this as well. So, when a proposal is put forward to make a decision about unilateral sanctions for financial and economic suffocation of Iran during the period of accession to office of the Iranian president, the formation of a new government, I think that these ideas go against the root interests of the global community, the interests of securing a regime of non-proliferation of weapons. These are dangerous games. We hope that reason will prevail.