Russia says it is not pressuring Iran to resume talks, blames US for war

Diyar Güldoğan

Russia is not pressuring Iran to resume negotiations to end the war with the US, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said Thursday.

He said Tehran should make its decisions as a sovereign state.

Asked at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York whether Moscow was using its relationship with Iran to encourage the Iranian government to return to negotiations with the US, Nebenzya said Russia “does not put any pressure on anybody, be it Iran or any other country.”

“Russia, as a matter of principle, does not put any pressure on anybody, be it Iran or any other country. Iran is a sovereign nation; they decide for themselves,” said Nebenzya.

He said Russia discussed the conflict with Iran but rejected the suggestion that Tehran was responsible for the outbreak or continuation of the war.

Nebenzya blamed the US for “the reckless and unprovoked aggression” against Iran, saying its origins did not lie in Iran’s actions or inaction.

“I don’t think that it is Iran that withdrew from fulfilling the agreements that were reached between the U.S. and Iran with the help of the mediators,” he said.

“So, I don’t think that we have to blame Iran for this,” Nebenzya added.

Asked about US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new campaign to isolate Iran’s economy and impose consequences on countries that continue dealing with Tehran, potentially including Russia, Nebenzya said Moscow was accustomed to the pressure.

“We’ve seen so many sanctions and pledges to isolate the Russian economy that we do not pay too much attention to it,” he said.

Nebenzya said Russia adapted to previous rounds of Western sanctions and would be able to cope with further measures.

“I think that we will manage. Don’t worry about Russia’s economy,” Nebenzya added.

He was also asked about Trump’s proposal to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory.

“I don’t know how it can be done in compliance with international law,” Nebenzya said.

He noted that Trump made territorial claims or proposals involving several places around the world.

“President Trump claimed many, many territories around the world,” he said, referring to Trump’s remarks about Venezuela and Greenland.

“President Trump is the master of his own words. Let’s see how he is planning to implement it,” he added.