Obama and Putin Discuss Iran Negotiations Over the Phone

According to the White House, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and Barack Obama, the President of the United States, discussed the nuclear negotiations with Iran, which are in the final days of the set deadline, as well as the crises in Syria and Ukraine. The White House stated that the leaders emphasized the importance of continuing unity among the members of the so-called 5+1 countries in the ongoing negotiations with Iran to prevent this country from acquiring nuclear weapons. Tehran has consistently stated that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. No details have been released regarding the phone conversation between the two presidents about the negotiations with Iran. The phone call between the leaders of Washington and Moscow comes just days before the deadline for drafting the final document of the nuclear agreement with Iran. Although reports and statements from officials indicate that negotiations are likely to continue for some time after this deadline. Russia is a permanent member with veto power in the United Nations Security Council, which has passed several resolutions imposing sanctions against Tehran. In addition to these sanctions, the European Union and the United States have separately imposed sanctions against Iran, which they can decide to lift or reinstate independently. Reports indicate that Western countries negotiating with Iran are concerned that if Iran 'violates' its nuclear commitments, Russia may use its veto power to prevent the reinstatement of sanctions. A report published two days ago by Foreign Policy cited diplomats and analysts stating that Western parties want to pass a proposal that would make it difficult for Russia to use its veto and prevent the potential reinstatement of sanctions. On the other hand, Moscow is considered an ally of Tehran in various matters. Russian and Iranian officials are supporters of Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria. In the phone conversation, initiated by Mr. Putin according to the White House statement, the presidents also discussed the increasingly dangerous situation in Syria. Another part of the phone conversation between the two leaders returned to the topic of Ukraine, a country where the crisis is considered the main reason for the coldness and increased tension in Russia-West relations.