MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. Tehran and Washington are still far from finalizing a peace deal, and experts weigh in on difficulties facing Russia-US relations. Meanwhile, the European Union is working to disrupt the relationship between Russia and Armenia. These stories topped Friday's headlines in Russia.
Izvestia: Iran, US still far from finalizing peace deal
Even as Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has said that there is mutual understanding between the United States and Iran, experts interviewed by Izvestia argue that the two sides are still far from reaching a compromise. Indirect talks on the memorandum of understanding will reopen after July 9 when funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei are over. At that, Tehran rules out direct dialogue unless Washington fulfils the key terms of the deal, first of all a ceasefire in Lebanon. Although the parties have agreed to establish a truce monitoring committee, and Israel has begun to test a phased military withdrawal, analysts believe that the conflict will inevitably flare up again in the region.
The parties are putting "a good face on a bad game," political analyst Yelena Suponina told Izvestia. According to her, even as minimal progress is possible in the negotiations in Qatar, it is too early to claim success. The participants in the process are only trying to strengthen their positions and "creating a fog," Georgy Asatryan, an expert at Higher School of Economics, agrees. He noted that the Iran war has scarred "Trumpism's image." With congressional elections and the celebration of the 250th anniversary of US Independence Day ahead for the US leader, Washington is trying to avoid a resumption of hostilities, the expert said.
