Russia, Iran Discuss Regional Developments

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi receives Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Tehran last October (AP)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi receives Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Tehran last October (AP)
TT
20

Russia, Iran Discuss Regional Developments

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi receives Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Tehran last October (AP)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi receives Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Tehran last October (AP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held telephone talks with their Iranian counterparts on Monday, several Russian media outlets reported.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Lavrov and Iran's FM Hossein Amirabdollahian strongly condemned the large-scale attacks on Yemen carried out by a group of countries led by the US and the UK, according to the Russian TASS agency.
The statement said the ministers focused "on the escalating tensions in the Middle East."
They spoke in favor of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and ensuring unobstructed humanitarian access to the enclave to provide urgent assistance to the suffering civilian population.
The Foreign Ministers also discussed the progress in drafting a new treaty and other issues concerning bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and cooperation in transport, logistics, and other areas.
Bilateral relations between the two countries have shown major improvement in the past few months.
However, Moscow faced sharp Iranian criticism last month after the Russian Foreign Minister reiterated his country's support for an Emirati initiative offering Tehran to resolve the issue of the three occupied islands in the Arabian Gulf through dialogue or referring it to international courts.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the two ministers asserted their mutual commitment to the fundamental principles of Russian-Iranian relations, including unconditional respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and other principles of the UN Charter.
They noted that these issues will be reaffirmed in the major treaty underway for signing by Russia and Iran.
During the past few weeks, Amirabdollahian was subject to criticism after he claimed to have obtained Russian confirmation that it had corrected its position regarding the trio islands without providing evidence.
Last December, Marrakesh hosted the 6th Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum (RACF) session at the ministerial level.
In the concluding statement, the countries confirmed their support for all peaceful efforts, including initiatives aimed at reaching a solution to the three islands issue according to the principles of international law and the UN Charter and through bilateral negotiations or resorting to the International Court of Justice if the parties agree to that.
The Russian support revived internal disputes regarding rapprochement with China and distancing itself from Western countries.
Foreign policy adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati was among the most prominent critics of the Russian position.
Velayati warned Moscow of the repercussions of a "strategic" relationship between the two countries.
Furthermore, Mohsen Rezaee, senior military officer in the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and former VP for economic affairs, warned against repeating Russia's unfriendly interventions regarding the Iranian territory.
Rezaee added: "The three islands are not Crimea."
Last month, Iran summoned the Russian Chargé d'Affaires in a move similar to calling the chief Russian diplomat in Tehran last June.
Iran supplies Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine. Russia supports the parties supporting Iran's demands in the 2015 agreement on its nuclear program.

The diplomatic path to reviving the nuclear agreement faltered after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war.



Iran Nuclear Tensions Escalate: Tehran Warns against 'Military Adventurism', China Urges Dialogue

A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
TT
20

Iran Nuclear Tensions Escalate: Tehran Warns against 'Military Adventurism', China Urges Dialogue

A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)
A Planet Labs satellite image of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, located 120 kilometers north of Isfahan, taken last April. (AP)

China has urged a return to negotiations to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis as Washington called on Tehran to halt its nuclear escalation and missile activities. Meanwhile, Iran lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council, warning of swift retaliation against any US or Israeli attack.

US President Donald Trump reiterated on Sunday his threat of an unprecedented strike on Iran if it refuses his offer for talks. According to sources, Trump sent a message to the Iranian leadership in early March, giving Tehran a two-month deadline to respond.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed the possibility of an external attack on Monday but warned the US of a strong response if it took military action. He stated that if Washington attempted to incite unrest within Iran, “the Iranian people would respond as they have in the past”.

Later, Iran formally complained to the UN Security Council about what it described as “reckless and hostile” US statements.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani wrote that Tehran “strongly warns against any military adventurism and will respond swiftly and decisively to any act of aggression or attack by the United States or its proxy, the Israeli regime, against its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national interests.”

China, for its part, criticized Washington’s threats of military force against Iran’s nuclear program. According to the Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the US to return to the negotiating table and demonstrate goodwill, stressing that sanctions and military threats will not lead to a resolution.

He further emphasized that Beijing believes the only effective solution is a political and diplomatic one and urged a renewed consensus within the framework of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani rejected the threats against Iran. In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, he expressed Iraq’s commitment to Iran’s security and stability.

Iraq’s official news agency reported that Sudani emphasized coordination among Islamic nations to confront shared challenges and threats, fostering security and stability.

In response to Khamenei’s speech, the Trump administration reiterated its determination to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. While reaffirming its preference for diplomacy, it warned that other options remain on the table.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Monday that the Trump administration will not allow a nuclear Iran.

She accused Iran of being a key state sponsor of terrorism, supporting groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and al-Qaeda. She also pointed to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the US designates as a terrorist organization.

Referencing Trump’s message to Iran, she outlined Washington’s demands: Tehran must halt its nuclear escalation, end its ballistic missile program, dismantle its regional proxy networks, cease aggressive activities, stop repressing its own people, and abandon the destabilizing actions of the IRGC.