Russia pledges to veto any anti-Iran sanctions resolution
Russia, a veto-wielding permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has pledged to block any future attempts by the UN to hit Iran with fresh sanctions.
"When Resolution 1929, the last series of sanctions resolutions, was adopted… we made it clear behind closed doors to our US and EU colleagues that Russia will not let another sanctions resolution against Iran be passed," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Friday.
Resolution 1929 was approved by the Security Council in June 2010, banning the supply of conventional weapons to Iran. It resulted in the suspension of Russia’s contract with Iran on the delivery of Russian S-300 missile defense systems to the Islamic Republic.
Ryabkov also said Moscow expects that anti-Iran sanctions will be lifted “as soon as possible” following the recent conclusion of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.
Iran and the P5+1 -- the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany -- reached an agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in the Austrian capital Vienna on July 14.
Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all economic and financial bans against Tehran.
Ryabkov also noted that a decision to deliver the S-300 systems to Iran has been made, and "technicalities" of the process are under consideration.
"Concerning S-300, a decision permitting the delivery of such systems to Iran has been made by the Russian president and the Federation Council, and technicalities of this process are now being considered," he said.
On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a presidential decree paving the way for the long-overdue delivery of the missile defense system to Iran.
The decision to deliver the missile systems came after Iran and the P5+1 group reached a mutual understanding on Tehran’s nuclear program in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2.
Vladimir Kozhin, Putin’s aide on military and technical cooperation, said on July 30 that the S-300 systems are to be modernized before being delivered to Iran, given the fact the original contract was struck in 2007.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ryabkov said Moscow is satisfied with the terms of the JCPOA.
"I am prepared to explain and give reasons in favor of why we are so confident about it," he noted.
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