Russia's Lavrov Not Expected to Join Iran Nuclear Talks on Friday, Saturday

VIENNA (Sputnik) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is unlikely to join the talks on Iran's nuclear program in the Austrian capital on Friday or Saturday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Thursday.

"Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is not expected at the talks between P5+1 and Iran in Vienna on Friday or Saturday," the diplomat told journalists.

Ryabkov added that he will leave Vienna later on Thursday and is not going to come back. After talks in Vienna, he plans to join the upcoming BRICS summit in Russian city of Ufa that will take place on July 9-10.

The P5+1 group, comprising China, France, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, is negotiating with Iran over its controversial nuclear program. The sides have until July 7 to reach a deal that would ensure the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

In April, the negotiators and Iran reached a breakthrough political framework deal on the issue in Switzerland.