Russia should pressure the United States to lift the sanctions imposed on Iran, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Friday, August 19.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far taken important steps in order to create transparency concerning its peaceful nuclear activities, and the Russians, based on the step-by-step proposal, should pressure the U.S. into lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran,” Boroujerdi told the Mehr News Agency.

On July 13, Russia made a proposal for a “step-by-step” approach, according to which Iran could address questions about its nuclear program and be rewarded with a gradual easing of sanctions.

Boroujerdi went on to say that the negotiations with Russia, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, are very important, adding that the secretary of Russia’s Security Council was invited to Tehran to hold talks with Saeed Jalili, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev arrived in Tehran on Monday to discuss the “step-by-step” approach with Iranian officials and left on Wednesday.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Boroujerdi pointed to Iran’s package of proposals, which it delivered to the 5+1 group (the U.S., Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany), saying it was mentioned in the package that Iran should have the right to acquire and develop nuclear technology meant for peaceful purposes.

“The modality plan, signed by Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog in 2007, was meant to clear up ambiguities cited by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Iran later provided official responses,” he said.

The MP also noted that the U.S. does not want Iran’s nuclear dossier to be closed because it is using the situation as a tool to pressure Iran to stop its nuclear activities, MNA reported.