Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, AFP reported on Friday.
The meeting comes as Iran faces renewed pressure from Western powers over its nuclear program.
Britain, France, and Germany - collectively known as the E3 - on Thursday announced that they would move to reimpose sanctions on Iran, citing the Islamic Republic’s failure to comply with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The agreement had granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.
In a letter to the UN Security Council, the E3 stated they “believe Iran to be in significant non-performance of its commitments” under the JCPOA. The foreign ministers invoked the “snapback” mechanism, triggering a 30-day countdown to reimpose suspended sanctions.
Moscow, a key ally of Tehran and a signatory to the JCPOA, condemned the move. Russia’s foreign ministry warned that the decision could lead to “irreparable consequences,” stating, “We strongly urge them to reconsider and review their erroneous decisions before they lead to irreparable consequences and further tragedy.”
Russia accused the European powers of undermining diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff peacefully. Iran, for its part, warned it would “respond appropriately” to the sanctions move.
Tehran and Moscow have deepened their political, military, and economic ties over the past decade, with relations growing even closer following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated after the E3 announcement that Iran is ready to resume "fair" negotiations over its nuclear program, provided the West shows “goodwill”.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)