"It will lead to escalation, an arms race, an open conflict with irreversible consequences" - Russia warns US and West not to fail in nuclear deal agreement with Iran
The Russian government has claimed that Moscow supports the U.S. and its Western allies in finding a nuclear deal with Iran and warned against the threat of an "irreversible" arms race. Russia played a critical role in attempting to revive a version of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, but Moscow’s relationship with Tehran has strengthened since it invaded Ukraine making it an international "pariah" among Western nations. Russia first threatened to block any progression in nuclear negotiations with Iran after the U.S. and Europe slapped stiff international sanctions on it following its deadly invasion but by mid-March Russia instead demanded guarantees from Washington that its trade with Iran would not be affected by the sanctions so that a nuclear deal could be reached. The White House said the months-long negotiations with Iran would not act as an "escape hatch" for Russia, though Lavrov...