Kremlin: Russia does not need US approval to strengthen ties with Iran
Russian Ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan said that Moscow does not need any “permission” from Washington to strengthen its ties with Tehran. In an interview with the Iranian English-language channel Press TV, the diplomat stressed that Russia is an absolutely sovereign state which pursues independent policies, and does not need permission from the US or any other country to strengthen ties with Iran.
The ambassador believes that Russia-Iran relations have good prospects, noting that “the presidents of both countries will be meeting each other regularly and discussing various matters”. “Fortunately, we are witnesses of various mutual agreements that have been signed regarding economics, politics and culture,” Dzhagaryan added.
Commenting on probably steps by the US and its allies to transfer Iran’s “nuclear file” to the UN Security Council, the ambassador said:
“Russia, China and other European countries are trying to prevent such a negative scenario. The whole world knows that this treaty (the multilateral agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program signed in 2015, from which the US unilaterally withdrew in May last year) is under threat, and the only country responsible for the catastrophe is the United States. We condemn the US’s withdrawal from this international agreement. The Americans have violated international law in this regard, and Iran was forced to take the necessary measures, because it had no other choice.”
The head of Russia’s diplomatic representation in Tehran confirmed that Russia will continue to collaborate with the Islamic republic in the construction of new nuclear reactors at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, as well as on other projects, including the electrification of the Garmsar-Ince Burun railway line and the construction of the Sirik Thermal Power Plant in the southern province of Hormozgan.