Russia Turns Down Deadlines for Iran Nuclear Issue

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed the effectiveness of setting deadlines for the settlement of Iran’s nuclear energy issue, denouncing such timetables as “artificial.”

“In order to settle the issue, it is necessary to refrain from constant threats of using force, abandon scenarios aimed against Iran, and stop dismissing the talks as failure,” AP quoted Lavrov as saying on Russia’s Rossiya 24 TV channel on Friday. 

The Russian foreign minister insisted that the international talks should not be protracted, but noted that it would be wrong to “put forward any artificial deadlines and ultimatums and say that if there is no final agreement by the end of July or August – and there simply can’t be any in such a (short) period – then we will end talks and launch some kind of bellicose actions.” 

He made reference to the latest round of the multifaceted talks between Iran and the P5+1 – the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany – in the Russian capital of Moscow on June 18-19, and expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the negotiations.

“There were no agreements reached on the essence of the Iranian nuclear problem, but the meeting, from our point of view, was quite useful,” Lavrov said.

The Moscow meeting came after the sides had held another two days of negotiations in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in May. 

Tehran and the P5+1 had as well held three rounds of talks, one in Geneva in December 2010, and two in Istanbul in January 2011 and in April 2012. 

The United States and Israel have repeatedly threatened Tehran with a military strike in attempts to force Iran to halt its nuclear energy program, which they claim has a military component. 

Iran has strongly rejected the allegations, insisting that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it is entitled to pursue nuclear technology for its numerous civilian purposes.