Russia’s representative at the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov (Foreign Policy)


I joined PTV World on Monday in a 35-minute discussion of Russia’s failed gamble over the Iran nuclear talks, threatening to block a final deal unless US sanctions on Moscow — imposed over Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine — are lifted.

We discuss why Russia had to back down from the statement of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following criticism from Tehran.

And, with Iranian analyst Seyed Mostafa Khoshchehm presenting Iran’s official line, we consider division within the Iranian system over whether to complete the revision of the 2015 nuclear deal or to walk away, risking economic crisis.

Russia, with its invasion of Ukraine, has almost given up its leverage in the Iran talks. What it was saying — not just to the US, not just to the European powers, but to Tehran — was, “We’ll hold these negotiations hostage.”

Russia Threatens to Hold Up Iran Nuclear Deal