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Russia defends Iran’s inalienable right to maintain nuclear program
‘Unrealistic’: Moscow warns against expanding talks beyond nuclear file
In a post on the social media platform X, Mikhail Ulyanov wrote that the Islamic Republic, as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), is entitled to maintain a nuclear program as long as it is exclusively for peaceful purposes.
Ulyanov made the statement in response to former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim that Washington would not allow Iran to revive its nuclear activities, saying such comments ignore Iran’s rights under international law.
"Apparently, the former Secretary of State does not know that under the NPT Iran has the inalienable right to maintain national nuclear program provided that it serves exclusively peaceful purposes," Ulyanov wrote on X.
In a separate post, Ulyanov also reacted to remarks by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, who said Iran’s defense capabilities are purely deterrent and non-negotiable, and Tehran would not negotiate over regional or missile-related issues.
“The defensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are designed to deter aggressors from thinking of attacking Iran and are by no means up for negotiation,” he said at his weekly press conference on Monday.
Stressing that Iran has developed its missile program to defend its integrity, Baqaei slammed the “blatant hypocrisy and double standards” vis-à-vis Iran’s missile program, which is meant to portray it as a “threat,” while lethal weapons and even weapons of mass destruction are being funneled into the Israeli-occupied territories to be used in the regime's genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.
Endorsing Baqaei’s position, the Russian diplomat said negotiations should be strictly limited to nuclear matters, warning that expanding talks to include regional security or missile capabilities would make the entire process unrealistic.
“Right. The talks should be devoted to nuclear issues only. Any attempt to extend the negotiations to regional security and missiles will make the whole exercise unrealistic. It would be like an attempt to hit three birds with one stone," Ulyanov added on X.
Iran has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and that its defense and missile capabilities are solely intended for deterrence.
On June 13, Israel launched an unprovoked war against Iran, a day after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claimed that Tehran had failed to comply with its commitments to international nuclear safeguards, paving the way for the 12-day war, which assassinated many high-ranking military commanders, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians.
More than a week later, the United States also entered the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the NPT.