Lavrov going to Vienna amid tough Iran talks

MOSCOW - Agence France-Presse

CİHAN photo

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he planned to meet his US counterpart John Kerry on June 30 in Vienna where global powers are engaged in make-or-break nuclear talks with Iran.

Lavrov said he would speak to his US counterpart on terrorism and fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group but did not refer to an effort to hammer out a historic deal with Iran by Tuesday's deadline.
 
"Our delegation will head to Vienna where tomorrow we have talks planned with John Kerry," Lavrov said on June 28, speaking at a news conference with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem.
 
He said President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama had discussed the importance of all countries to join forces to "prevent extremists from the so-called IS from realising their plans."  

"The presidents of Russia and the United States ordered John Kerry and me to hold an urgent meeting to exchange opinions on how to most efficiently join the forces of our countries and those of other countries in the region."  

Kerry is already in Vienna and other foreign ministers are expected there June 29, along with Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif, who left Sunday for consultations in Tehran.