MOSCOW (TASS) — Russia understands Iran’s concerns over sanctions, but if finds worrisome Tehran’s intention to reduce its nuclear deal commitments, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said that Tehran would begin the next phase to reduce its nuclear program commitments as of November 6 by launching centrifuges in Fordow. Peskov said:

Russia and its partners are advocates of preserving this deal and keeping it viable.

[…]

We are aware of Iran’s concerns amid actions by some countries and the unprecedented and unlawful sanctions that are being applied to that country, but at the same time we are watching with alarm the way the situation is developing, because the collapse of this comprehensive plan spells nothing good.

In accordance with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Iran is obliged to reconfigure its Fordow facility producing stable isotopes under the control of international observers and in such a way that would rule out the possibility of using the facility for military purposes.

The future of the Iranian nuclear deal was called in question after the United States’ unilateral pullout on May 8, 2018 and Washington’s unilateral oil export sanctions against Tehran. Iran argues that all other participants, Europeans in the first place, ignore some of their own obligations in the economic sphere, thus making the deal in its current shape senseless.

In May 2019, Iran declared the first phase of suspending some of its commitments (60-day suspension of enriched uranium sales). In July, Tehran proceeded with the second phase of the suspension (by declaring uranium enrichment to above 3.67%) and promised to reduce its commitments further on each 60 days unless the other signatories restore compliance with the concluded agreements.