Russian FM stresses need to honour Iran nuclear deal

Moscow, Oct 13 (IANS) All parties involved in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program should abide by it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

The minister held a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the two sides discussed the current situation around the nuclear deal, according to a statement of the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Lavrov drew attention to the fact that Tehran adheres to all its JCPOA obligations and stressed the need to observe this document by its other co-sponsors," the statement said.

The Donald Trump administration is due to inform the Congress by October 15 whether Tehran is complying with the nuclear deal. If it decides Tehran is not, it could open the way for US lawmakers to reimpose sanctions against Iran.

Earlier in the day, Lavrov said it was beyond his comprehension how the US will quit the agreement in legal terms, given the status of the agreement including the decision on its approval by the supreme body responsible for peace and security.

"It is difficult for me to imagine how it is possible to withdraw, in legal terms, from an agreement that is a product of collective labor recognized by all as an international legal act," Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his Burundian counterpart Alain Aime Nyamitwe.

Iran's nuclear deal was reached between Iran and the world six powers of Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany in July 2015.

The deal, officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has helped defuse the Iran nuclear crisis and bolstered the international non-proliferation regime.