Even after the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal, Russia continued to play that role.
Russia paved the way for Iran and the West to implement the nuclear deal.
For instance, it was Russia that facilitated the transfer of Iran’s enriched uranium outside of the country.
In December 2015, Iran announced that it successfully transferred 11 tons of its enriched uranium to Russia, a move that helped Iran implement the JCPOA.
The Russian efforts to save the JCPOA were done despite the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin had famously said on May 15, 2019, that he was no longer willing to play the role of firefighter to extinguish the fire the Americans lit by withdrawing from the JCPOA.
A year later, Putin appeared to be assuming a new role in preventing a total collapse of the deal after he received an «important message» from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on July 21.
Russia continued to defend the JCPOA after Joe Biden come into
Russian officials highlighted the failure of the so-called «maximum pressure» campaign launched by the Trump administration against Iran.
Now that Iran and the P4+1 have resumed nuclear talks, Russia also tries to positively influence the talks.
Iran has appreciated this role by intensifying consultations with the Russians.
On April 27, top Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyed Abbas Araghchi held a trilateral meeting with the Russian and Chinese envoys to the talks.
The meeting was held hours before another meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission, indicating the importance Iran attaches to consultations with the Russians and the Chinese.
