Russia Blasts US for Trying to Impair Cooperation with Iran

 (FNA)- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov lashed out at Washington for its efforts to hinder Tehran-Moscow cooperation.
Moscow is seeking to promote bilateral ties with Tehran and Iran-Russia cooperation would be against no third country, Ryabkov told RIA Novosti.

Washington's policies are against promotion of Tehran-Moscow economic relations, he said, stressing that the US tries to create artificial obstacles on the way of Iran-Russia cooperation.

On the sidelines of the latest round of nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers in Vienna on April 9, a senior US official said that Washington had called on Tehran and Moscow to avoid signing further economic agreements until a comprehensive deal is inked between Iran and the world sextet (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany).

Ryabkov said Moscow has repeatedly announced that promotion of its economic cooperation with Tehran should not be considered as any threat against other countries.

He reiterated Russia’s strong will to increase and strengthen bilateral ties with Iran.

In a relevant development on Tuesday, Iranian and Russian officials stressed the need for utilizing their countries' abundant capacities to deepen and widen the bilateral relations between Tehran and Moscow in different domains, specially in economic sectors.

In a meeting with Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Mehdi Sanayee, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov expressed his country’s determination to boost economic cooperation with Tehran.

He said Moscow will spare no effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields, particularly in economic and commercial sectors.

The Iranian envoy, for his part, stressed the importance of consultation between Tehran and Moscow in promoting mutual cooperation.