Iran FM: Ukraine crisis should be resolved through diplomacy without interference of third countries

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has expressed hope that the ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia would be resolved through diplomatic channels and dialogue, without foreign interference.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a Thursday phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, during which the two sides discussed bilateral issues as well as major international developments.

Elaborating on the ongoing crisis in the relations between Ukraine and Russia, Iran’s top diplomat expressed satisfaction that tensions along the two countries’ border are decreasing.

Expressing hope that the current situation in Ukraine would be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic channels and without interference of third countries, Amir-Abdollahian emphasized, “We demand preservation of peace and stability in the region.”

The top Iranian diplomat stressed that the Islamic Republic is ready to take any necessary action to help resolve the crisis in a peaceful way.

Amir-Abdullahian also underlined the new Iranian government’s determination to expand and develop bilateral relations between Iran and Ukraine in various fields.

The Ukrainian foreign minister, for his part, expressed gratitude for Iran’s principled stance on the Ukraine crisis, and said, "We are not after a war and we want the issue to be resolved diplomatically and peacefully."

Dmytro Kuleba added, “Iran and Ukraine have always had good and stable relations, and to date, neither side has been able to have an impact on the good relations between the two countries.”

Russia and NATO have recently been at odds over Ukraine.

Western countries accuse Russia of preparing for an invasion of Ukraine by massing 100,000 troops and armaments near the border with that country. Rejecting the allegation, Moscow says the troop build-up is defensive as NATO has increased its activity near Russian borders.

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Back in December, Moscow asked NATO not to allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join the Western military alliance. It called on the alliance to stop its military deployments to Ukraine and to roll back its forces from Eastern Europe, demanding legally binding guarantees.

The West has flatly rejected the demands, emphasizing that NATO membership would remain open to Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the US is deliberately designing a scenario to lure Russia into a war over Ukraine. The Kremlin has also reiterated that the expansion of the NATO military infrastructure in Ukraine constitutes a red line for Moscow and that any future expansion must exclude Ukraine and other former Soviet countries.

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