Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
Iranwire – Iran’s former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, accused Russia on Thursday of publicizing sensitive information about Iranian military activities.
They include Qassem Soleimani’s visit to Moscow and the delivery of Iranian drones for use in Ukraine.
Zarif spoke at a university alum gathering in Tehran, making rare public criticisms of Russia’s role during the nuclear negotiations he led as foreign minister from 2013 to 2021.
“Russia has two clear red lines: Iran should neither have normal relations with the world nor enter into direct conflict,” Zarif said.
He said Russian interference began when Iran started comprehensive negotiations for the 2015 nuclear deal.
“As soon as we started comprehensive JCPOA negotiations, the Russians’ game began,” Zarif said, referring to the talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal.
“They knew if the agreement succeeded, Iran’s relations with the world would normalize, and this is Russia’s red line.”
Zarif said Russia opposed Iranian efforts to produce nuclear fuel during negotiations independently and that Moscow offered to supply all fuel needs for Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant.
“We said we’re not supposed to always be dependent on the Russians,” Zarif said. “They responded that if Iranian-produced fuel is used in Bushehr, they won’t confirm nuclear safety.”
Zarif accused Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of misrepresenting facts about the nuclear deal’s snapback mechanism. This mechanism allows the reinstatement of UN sanctions if Iran violates the agreement. The sanctions snapped back into force in August.
Zarif said Russia voted for all Chapter VII Security Council resolutions against Iran during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency and blocked Tehran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
He added that Russia and China supported Iran at the Security Council only during his time as foreign minister.
The comets respond to Lavrov’s recent statements criticizing Zarif for accepting the snapback mechanism in the nuclear deal. Lavrov called it a legal trap.
The snapback provision automatically restores all pre-2015 restrictions unless all UN Security Council permanent members agree to continue sanctions relief.
