On December 18, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif at the latter’s initiative.

The officials continued the discussion of the current situation in the Middle East with an emphasis on searching for ways to defuse crises.

They also stressed their mutual dedication to the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regarding Iran's nuclear programme. The IAEA regularly confirms that Tehran strictly observes its commitments under the Plan.