Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Affirms Iran’s Right to Peaceful Uranium Enrichment
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized in an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya network that Iran possesses the right to peaceful uranium enrichment. He also expressed confidence that Tehran would cooperate with International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors if their activities resume.
Lavrov stated that Iran is prepared to reduce its uranium enrichment levels to what is necessary for peaceful purposes. He further alluded to the twelve-day aggression by the Israeli regime and the United States against Iran, noting that this attack has had negative consequences. The Russian Foreign Minister added that Iran has consistently declared its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that the attack by Tel Aviv and Washington on its nuclear facilities was a dangerous act. He also reported a close relationship between Moscow and Iranian leadership.
Lavrov voiced Russia’s concerns regarding United Nations policies, which he believes are influenced by European approaches, and mentioned that Europe attempted to reimpose sanctions on Iran. He pointed out that Arab countries do not desire any further escalation of tensions in the region. Regarding Moscow-Riyadh relations, Lavrov stated that given the century-long history of diplomatic ties between Russia and Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is a strategic partner for Russia in the Middle East. He added that the OPEC+ alliance plays a responsible role in the global energy market, and Moscow is satisfied with the level of bilateral cooperation with Riyadh. The Russian Foreign Minister also noted that Moscow highly values its relations with Arab countries and engages in dialogue with the Arab world on key international issues.
On the Palestinian issue, Lavrov stressed the necessity of Palestinian unity, an idea previously put forward by Russia. He specified that Israeli Prime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state is not in Israel’s security interest. The Russian Foreign Minister also declared that the Israeli army’s statements claiming ‘all people of Gaza are terrorists’ are unacceptable. Lavrov explained that Palestinians and Arab nations requested Russia not to hinder the issuance of a ‘Peace Council’ resolution, and therefore, Moscow and China responded to the Arab countries’ request by abstaining in the relevant vote.
He identified the participation of the Palestinian people as the decisive factor for the success of any peace plan, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Moscow’s readiness to allocate one billion dollars for the reconstruction of Palestine. The Russian Foreign Minister concluded by warning of escalating tensions in the West Bank, stating that the situation in the region is worsening and there is a risk of the situation spiraling out of control.
