TASS - Russia will strongly oppose attempts to manipulate the UN Security Council on the back of events involving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday before starting negotiations with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"We are determined to counter any attempts to use the situation to manipulate the UN Security Council and promote the anti-Iranian agenda," he said. "We will undoubtedly raise the issue within all multilateral international formats."

"The situation involving the JCPOA is a matter of concern," the minister stressed. "Certain events are taking place in Vienna [meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency — TASS]. There are some ideas that our Western friends are working on in New York."

Lavrov expressed hope that during the talks the sides would also be able to discuss the prospects for cooperation as part of the Astana process on Syria and bilateral cooperation in accordance with the agreements reached by the heads of both states at their latest meetings.