Russia: Iran no missile threat to Europe

Russian Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/191234.html

Russia has dismissed the West's allegations that Iran is a military threat to Europe, describing such concerns as “baseless.”

The Russian president's special envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, on Thursday, rejected claims spearheaded by the United States against Iran's peaceful nuclear program, IRNA reported.

We actively support the Iranian effort in its bid to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and we are closely informed that Tehran does not possess any nuclear weapons to threaten any countries, Rogozin stated.

The Russian official reiterated Moscow's stance on Washington's insistence on deploying a missile system in Eastern Europe near the Russian borders to allegedly counter possible missile threats from Iran and North Korea against Europe.

Russia has long opposed the disputed plan, arguing that the would-be missile system in its "back yard” is not to secure Washington's European allies but is effectively aimed at Russia.

Rogozin said Moscow is aware of Iran's missile programs, adding, "Upon this, raising any prospects of an Iranian missile strike against Poland or Norway is nonsensical and delirious." "It is wrong to label those who bring up such ideas as experts."

Rogozin said the campaign by the US and its European allies to picture Iran as "the bad boy” resembled Hollywood games and is aimed to screen the truth.

Moscow has called for shared control of any anti-missile shield, saying the aim of the Eastern European system is to encircle Russia, but Washington refuses to share the responsibility for protecting NATO member states with any third party.

NATO favors two separate but coordinated missile defense systems that would comprise of the Western military alliance and Russian systems.

However, Moscow insists on a European system together with the alliance, with joint centers for detecting threats and a joint decision-making procedure.

Russia has warned that if NATO pushes ahead with its plans and no agreement is reached with Moscow, it will develop its own missile shield.