Zarif in Russia for Fortifying Cooperation

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Sochi, Russia, on Wednesday to meet top Russian officials during his one-day visit to discuss the situation in Syria and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Upon arrival, Zarif told reporters that Tehran and Moscow need to further boost cooperation in the face of US President Donald Trump's harsh stance on the nuclear deal, officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. "There has been close cooperation between Iran and Russia in many issues," he said, adding that Russia has supported Iran's positions on JCPOA. The visit comes as the representatives of countries acting as guarantors of the ceasefire in Syria, namely Iran, Russia and Turkey, held preliminary consultations in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the runup to the sixth round of talks on Syria peace process, which are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Pointing to the recent military achievements of the Syrian Army against militants, Zarif noted that Tehran and Moscow could help force the terrorists to retreat. "Today, the situation on the ground is very good," he said.