Lavrov: Russia Strongly Opposes Imposing Additional Anti-Iran Sanctions

Moscow, April 17, IRNA – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov here Monday in a meeting with a Zionist official once again strongly voiced Moscow’s opposition against imposing any new sanctions against Iran. The Russian Foreign ministry quoted Lavrov as saying in a meeting with the Head of the Zionist regime’s National Security Council Jacob Amidor in a meeting in which both sides exchanged ideas about Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. Lavrov said that he was opposed to any kind of efforts made to take advantage of the achieved advancements in Iran’s nuclear technology aimed at intensifying the related tension and imposing any new sanctions, which he argued would not be constructive. Lavrov meanwhile in the meeting one more time emphatically announced his country’s opposition against resorting to that approach aimed at taking advantage of military force against Iran. Moscow has many times voiced opposition against imposing sanctions against Iran, arguing that such approaches are not constructive and incapable of problem solving. Lavrov had also recently announced that his country was opposed to imposing additional sanctions against Iran, adding, “The west’s move in imposing unilateral sanctions against Iran were a mistake, just as the EU made the same mistake by following the US path in that respect. He added, “We consider the unilateral sanctions against Iran as unacceptable and are opposed to imposing them against that country.” Lavrov meanwhile said that the anti-Iranian sanctions must be lifted after Iran would assure the international community about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. The Russian top diplomat further reiterated, “Based in the past few years’ approach of the G5+1 on Iran, it was agreed that after Iran would assure everyone about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program through cooperation with the IAEA, Tehran would benefit from the entire rights of a nuclear member of the agency. In related news, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said in Tehran Monday that Iran and the Group 5+1 have reached a common understanding in Istanbul. Salehi made the remark in an interview with the international television channel, Jaam-e Jam. He noted that the West has come to realize that IR of Iran will continue its activities irrespective of the extent of pressures exerted on that country. “We are trying to wrap up this false dossier which has been plotted for the Islamic Republic of Iran. This would benefit both Iran and the West,” the minister added. He pointed out that Iran is seriously against the proliferation of nuclear weapons throughout the world. Referring to the fact that Iran will not engage in diplomatic dialogue with the US, Salehi noted that any decision concerning holding talks with the US lied within the authorities of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. “It is the leader who determines what Iran should do in that respect,” he added./end