Russia Calls Anti-Iran Sanctions ’Illegal,’ Omits Mention of Nuclear Issue

By Staff, Agencies

Russia says all sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear energy program are illegal, emphasizing that Tehran has never expressed any intention to seek and develop nuclear weapons.

The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks on Friday, saying Moscow firmly opposed the restrictions against Iran as they lacked legitimate ground.

"The Iranian side has never said a single word about intending to obtain nuclear weapons. In this respect, of course, all sanctions and restrictions are, in our view, illegal."

The Western camp, led by the United States, alleges that the Iranian nuclear work has deviated towards, what it calls, “military purposes.”

Iran remains the most verified Member State of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear agency, having been subject to the agency’s most comprehensive and frequent verification processes over decades.

On Thursday, Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani underlined the heaviest IAEA scrutiny of the Islamic Republic as a member state.

“Despite these facts, certain Western countries, particularly the United States, Britain, France, and Germany, have persistently sought to create a false narrative about Iran’s nuclear activities, alleging non-cooperation [with the agency] and military ambitions.”

Under such pretexts, Western countries have executed numerous illegal and unilateral sanctions against Iran that have deprived the nation of direly-needed medical supplies and heavily restricted its exports, including of crude oil.

Adding to his remarks, Peskov said in light of the peaceful nature of Iranian nuclear activities, despite the Western campaign, it was necessary to continue diplomatic efforts to resolve the predicaments created by the Western states.

Peskov's remarks came as senior diplomats from Iran, Russia, and China convened in Beijing earlier on Friday to discuss the nuclear issue.

The meeting, chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, was attended by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Kazem Gharibabadi, an Iranian deputy foreign minister.

Peskov noted that the outcome of the Beijing talks would be conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, ensuring Moscow remained fully informed about ongoing diplomatic efforts regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

The Russian official also reiterated that Moscow was exploring "all possible options for a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear dossier."

The Kremlin official reiterated Russia's support for Iran's peaceful nuclear activities, emphasizing Moscow's active assistance in developing Tehran's nuclear energy sector.