Top US, UK diplomats discuss Iran and Russia

Truss and Blinken “agreed their support for Ukraine and expressed deep concern about the build-up of Russian troops on Ukraine’s border. In addition, they said that any incursion by Russia would be a strategic mistake for which there would be serious consequences”, a spokesperson from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said.

“The need for Iran to meaningfully engage on a nuclear deal was stressed,” the spokesperson added.

“Both also agreed to further cooperation in areas like tech and security with each other and with like-minded partners,” the spokesperson noted.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations are gathering for a weekend in Liverpool, with the British hosts seeking elusive unity to ease growing tensions with Russia, China and Iran.

A State Department spokesperson said on Saturday Blinken on Friday held a “productive” meeting with counterparts from Britain, Germany and France, including a discussion of the Iran nuclear deal.

“Secretary Blinken had a productive meeting with his E3 counterparts from Germany, France, and the UK in Liverpool yesterday. They discussed the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) talks and our way forward,” the spokesperson added.

The seventh round of talks between Iran and the P4+1 group of countries resumed in the Austrian capital on Thursday after being paused on December 3, when the participants returned to their capitals for additional consultations on two draft proposals that Tehran had put forward. The talks started on November 29 after a hiatus in the negotiations due to the presidential election in Iran.

Iran’s President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi has said the two draft documents laying out Tehran’s proposals to the other parties to the Vienna talks show the Islamic Republic’s seriousness in the negotiations.

Raisi made the comment in a meeting with the heads of Iran’s diplomatic missions in neighboring countries on Saturday in Tehran. 

Raisi noted if the other sides are determined, we will reach a good deal with them.