Lavrov, Kerry Discuss Progress on Iran Talks - Russian Foreign Ministry

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed Iranian nuclear program by telephone, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the progress of talks on the Iranian nuclear program by telephone, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

World powers and Iran are attempting to work out a deal that would ensure the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

"A phone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister S. V. Lavrov and US Secretary of State J. Kerry took place. The discussion of the progress of talks in Vienna on elaborating a deal regarding the Iranian nuclear program was continued," the statement reads.

The ministry added that the US side initiated the conversation.

In April 2015, Tehran and the P5+1 group comprising Russia, the United States, Britain, France, Germany and China agreed a framework deal on the Iranian nuclear program.

The deadline for reaching a final agreement, initially set for June 30, has been repeatedly postponed.

On Friday, an Iranian diplomatic source said that the sides have almost finished reviewing the text of the final agreement but several key issues still remain unsolved.