Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov (Council on Foreign Relations)

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov relayed to reporters on Tuesday that Iran is ready to revive negotiations on the nuclear deal pertaining to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - stressing that no deadlocks exist from Iran's part as opposed to what the US claims.

Last week, Robert Malley - the US special envoy to Iran - said the United States will be focusing on a number of other things rather than reviving the nuclear deal with Iran.

In an interview for Bloomberg, Malley said Washington will be focusing on supporting rioters in Iran - which John Bolton recently admitted to them being armed - and on Iranian arms supplies to Russia. He said, “Iran is not interested in a deal and we’re focused on other things."

In response, Ryabkov stated, "The Iranian side, as I understand it, confirms its readiness to promptly complete negotiations on the JCPOA and continue cooperation with the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] secretariat on relevant topics — there are also some issues there. In my opinion, there are no unsolvable problems here, and in any case there is no deadlock,"

The Russian diplomat added, "If it [United States] saturates the discussion with non-core issues... then, of course, the restoration of the JCPOA will not be a simple step. Therefore, the choice is up to them."

The world market bound to collapse

On the topic of the price cap on Russian oil, Ryabkov said, "For the sake of attempts to 'press' Russia harder, to find ways to complicate our lives, the fundamentals of the functioning of the world economy are being violated. I think that the moment has come when its fragmentation in many directions will become a reality."

He reiterated that the price cap will result in major economic instabilities for the West, and as for Russia, on the contrary, no risks are posed since it would find new buyers.

"The United States, resorting to this kind of techniques and pulling its own allies in Europe to follow its decisions, by and large are biting the hand that feeds them," Ryabkov said.

The EU, G7, and Australia have set the price cap on Russian oil, which took effect on Monday, alongside an EU embargo on maritime deliveries of Russian crude oil. It insinuates that oil sold at $60 per barrel or less can continue to be delivered. For oil above that price, companies based in the countries involved in the cap will be prohibited from providing services of maritime transport like insurance.

The cap will not apply to cargo loaded before December 5, and a revision on any updates to the current cap cannot be applied until February 5. After mid-January, the cap will be revised every two months.

In another context, it becomes clear that negotiations between Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergey Naryshkin and CIA Director William Burns are no longer possible, as Ryabkov commented, "This is a closed format. I have neither the opportunity nor the reason to comment on this,"

Grossi’s Russia visit linked to meeting ZNPP requirements

The dates of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi's visit to Russia are bound on when the latter receives assurance that the parameters of the security zone around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) will include control guarantees over the end of attacks from Ukraine, according to Ryabkov.

He further continued, "If we receive information that a reasonable scheme for organizing such a regime at the Zaporozhye NPP has a chance of implementation, and this includes, among other things, control, and proper verification that the Ukrainian military will not be able to conduct such attacks, then, I think, the timing of the trip to Russia can be quickly agreed on."

Although multiple contact attempts have occurred between Grossi and the agency's secretariat to form a framework that would secure ZNPP's safety, more work still has to be done.