Russia: use of force against Iran would spell end of talks

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Wednesday, Oct 10, that the use of force against Tehran would spell the end of the negotiating process on Iran’s nuclear program, RIA Novosti reported.

“Time and again we hear threats that if there is no progress on Iran’s nuclear program only one option will remain - the use of force. We hope that will never happen,” he said. “This is a straight path to undermining the efforts to resolve all outstanding issues.”

The most important thing today is to focus on the work of the “five plus one” group, the minister said, adding there was hope for “a way out of the impasse.”

Iran's envoy to Moscow Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi last Monday reaffirmed Tehran’s readiness to hold talks with the six major world powers (P5+1). He added, however, that a precondition was that the West should abandon its hostile position toward the Islamic Republic.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that it is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.