Russian envoy: Iran not a threat to other countries, needs weapons for defensive purposes

Russian Ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan said Tuesday that Moscow’s arms sales to Tehran should not be a source of concern for other countries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is not a threat to anyone,” Dzhagaryan said in response to a question posed by Iran Daily during an interview at IRNA’s bureau in Tehran. 

“Iran wants weapons merely for self-defense,” he added, giving assurance to countries that are worried about arms deals between Russian and Iran.  

A United Nations arms embargo on Iran ended last October under the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, clearing the way for the Islamic Republic to buy and sell weapons.

The administration of former US president Donald Trump tried to keep the embargo in place, but to no avail.

Dzhagaryan said Russia was ready to sell weapons to Iran under international law.

He added that other countries were also keen to sell arms to Iran.

Iran-Russia trade

The Russian envoy predicted that the volume of trade between Russia and Iran would reach $2 billion by yearend despite the coronavirus pandemic.

“The outbreak of coronavirus had negatively affected our economic ties, but we managed to some extent to minimize such ramifications,” Dzhagaryan said when he was asked by Iran Daily about prospects of Moscow-Tehran trade cooperation.   

He added that the two countries’ exports and imports had increased in recent months.

“If the trend continues, bilateral trade volume would reach $2 billion by the end of the year,” the ambassador said.

He stressed that Russia and Iran had ample potentials to boost their trade.

Dzhagaryan said a joint economic commission would be held after Iran’s new government takes office in August.

Source: Iran Daily