Moscow reacts to leaked Zarif file, says it relies on Tehran’s official statements

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says Moscow relies on Tehran’s official statements and knows well who would like to manipulate them to the detriment of Tehran-Moscow ties.

“We know very well all those who would like to manipulate ... them (Iran-Russia relations) to the detriment of Russia’s interests and its centuries-old ties with Iran. On the whole, we invariably rely on Tehran’s official stance that has been expressed more than once,” Zakharova told a news briefing on Thursday.

She made the remarks in reply to a TASS request for a comment on leaked excerpts from a confidential interview with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

During the interview, which was recorded on February 24 as part of an “oral history” research scheme and leaked to Saudi-funded London-based Iran International news channel days ago, Zarif apparently criticized the role of Russia – among others – during the talks that led to the conclusion of a historic nuclear agreement between Iran and six major world powers on July 14, 2015.

“Our friend, the Islamic Republic of Iran, is apparently living through no easy times,” Zakharova said. “For this reason, any media outbreaks, in our opinion, must be looked at through the lens of these circumstances.”

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Zarif’s remarks should be analyzed holistically and not be cherry-picked.

The Islamic Republic’s stance cannot be represented through a selected segment of a talk, Khatibzadeh emphasized.

Ali Rabiei, the Iranian administration’s spokesman, said on Tuesday that the president has ordered the Intelligence Ministry to identify those behind the leakage.

“The audio file was released by a vengeful television network, which is funded by petrodollars and has been fervently supporting the sufferings and intimidation of the Iranian nation ever since it was established. This is indicative of the fact that the interview was broadcast conspiratorially and selectively,” Rabiei said.

President Hassan Rouhani also reacted to the issue, saying the act of “stealing a confidential document or tape” at the current critical juncture, when his administration is engaged in talks in Vienna to remove the illegal US sanctions, must be investigated by the Intelligence Ministry.

“They leaked [the tape] at the exact time when the Vienna talks are at the height of their success in order to create divisions within the country,” Rouhani said, adding that those who leaked the file have threatened the interests of Iran and its people.

Rouhani was referring to ongoing talks between diplomats from Iran, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany in the Austrian capital to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was nixed by the US under former President Donald Trump.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk