The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian would visit Moscow on Wednesday to discuss several issues with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday that Lavrov and Amirabdollahian would exchange views on current international issues, including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the situation in Syria, Afghanistan, the South Caucasus region, and the Caspian Sea region.
The parties would also discuss ways to improve the situation in the Middle East following the recently announced restoration of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, she added, according to the Russian Tass agency.
The Russian and Iranian foreign ministers would also discuss efforts to coordinate the two countries' activities on international platforms, including the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the prospects for talks on a free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Meanwhile, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said he had a "frank and open phone call" with his Iranian counterpart, calling for full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Schallenberg tweeted that he expected an end to repression of peaceful protests, total respect for women's rights, and release of prisoners.
The FM "welcomed the agreement with Saudi Arabia as a step towards de-escalation in the region."
Furthermore, Iran's chief negotiator Ali Bagheri-Kani warned officials from France, Britain, and Germany against "miscalculations," while Western countries are pressuring Iran to implement the latest agreement with the IAEA.
Bagheri-Kani confirmed that he met officials from France, Britain, and Germany in Oslo last week and warned them against "certain miscalculations."
He tweeted that he traveled to the Norwegian capital for a meeting with officials from European countries participating in the nuclear deal.
"We discussed extensively a range of issues of mutual interest and concern. We spare no opportunity to clarify our views and warn against certain miscalculations. We're determined to advance our national interests, including through diplomacy," said the official.
Bagheri-Kani did not elaborate on the details of the meeting.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the European Union did not participate, contrary to a Mehr news agency report.
Another Western diplomatic source confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Western countries are using all available channels to urge Iran to clarify the traces of highly-enriched uranium of up to 83.7 percent, close to the 90 percent that enables the production of a nuclear bomb.
The sources said that the meeting dealt with several issues, namely the Iranian escalation in the nuclear issue, adding that European diplomats "clearly" expressed their countries' concerns and positions to the Iranian side.
The sources said the meeting did not address the nuclear talks or the possibility of returning to it.
Israel has recently intensified its threats of military action against Tehran to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons. Tehran denies it aims to develop atomic weapons.
Axios news website reported that Israel told the Biden administration and several European countries that Iran would enter dangerous territory that could trigger an Israeli military strike if it enriches uranium above 60 percent.
