Russia, Iran FMs Discuss Syria, Nuclear Deal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, discussed the conflict in Syria and the Iran nuclear deal in a phone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. "The two sides exchanged views on a range of international issues, including the Syrian peace process in the context of the Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in Sochi, as well as the situation surrounding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran's nuclear program," Reuters reported, citing the ministry.  The congress will be held in the Russian resort city of Sochi on January 29-30.  Moscow, Tehran, and Ankara had announced the date in a joint statement after recent talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana, which also involved the Damascus government and some opposition groups. The United Nations has urged Russian, Iranian, and Turkish officials to support the struggling Geneva peace process aimed at improving the situation in Syria.