Iran Confers with Russia before Resumption of Talks with P5+1

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has consulted with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in preparation for a resumption of negotiations Wednesday with the P5+1 towards reaching an interim agreement before the end of the month on Tehran's nuclear program.

Russia is a member of the P5+1 but also has a vested interest in Iran's nuclear development, in which it has invested billions of dollars.

"It's high time for the US and its allies to choose: pressure or agreement," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account last week.