Any Plan B in the talks on the Iranian nuclear program would violate a consensus decision of the UN Security Council on the issue and have unavoidable negative consequences for the entire Middle East, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned on Thursday.
Any departure [from the original 2015 deal] or Plans B that some people like to speculate about would run counter to the consensus decisions of the [UN] Security Council, said Ivan Nechaev, the ministrys deputy spokesman, referring to a 2015 UNSC resolution supporting that years agreement on the Iranian nuclear program.
The revival of the existing 2015 deal through the ongoing talks in Vienna is the only reasonable and effective way forward, Nechaev told journalists during a briefing. He also welcomed the latest round of indirect talks between the US and Iranian delegations in Vienna, which resulted in some progress on issues that had earlier been a stumbling block in the negotiations.
A positive result of the talks is
achievable, Nechaev said, adding that there are no irreconcilable differences between the parties. Further progress would solely depend on each sides political will, the diplomat said.
At the same time, Moscow slammed the EU for what it called the bullying tactics. The language of ultimatums does not work in such a sensitive and high-stakes issue, Nechaev said as he particularly criticized Peter Stano, the spokesman for EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell.
Earlier this week, Stano told journalists that everything that could be negotiated has been incorporated into the final version of the text compiled after the latest round of talks between Tehran and Washington, which was mediated by the EU. Its yes or no, Stano insisted, adding that there is no more room for other compromises. Borrell himself also called the document the final text at that time.