Recent reports in Iranian pro-regime media say the regime has had important phone calls with Russia’s Foreign Minister and also with with the Egyptian foreign ministry. The Russian foreign ministry confirmed the discussion that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had in a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on July 18. Russia says that the Iranians made the initiative.
According to Russia “the ministers discussed topical issues of the Russian-Iranian agenda, and had a trust-based exchange of views on a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest, including in the context of the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council Strategic Dialogue, held in Moscow on July 10.”
The UN charter and its role in dialogue
They had other general discussions about “international law” and the “UN charter.” Iranian media say they touched on the JCPOA as well. This is important because of sanctions that may end in October that relate to missiles.
The New Arab noted on Wednesday that “sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile program imposed by the United Nations Security Council will expire in October. Despite this, the European Union and the United Kingdom plan to retain their restrictions, something Tehran has warned them against doing.” Iran’s Fars News said today that Iran is looking forward to the lifting of sanctions on the export and import of technology relating to missiles. Iran also wants to move forward with research and development on missiles.
On the Egyptian front Iran also believes it is making progress. The report in Tasnim News says that Iran and the Egyptian foreign ministry have held discussions. It hints at progress in ties but did not elaborate. Clearly the two Iranian initiatives are linked to Iran’s overall policy of outreach and attempts to gain influence and inroads across the Middle East and with Russia and Asia.