‘Not a single word about nukes’: Russia says ‘nuclear-related’ anti-Iran sanctions ‘illegal’

Russia says all sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear energy program are illegal, emphasizing that Tehran has never expressed any intention to seek and develop nuclear weapons.

The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks on Friday, saying Moscow firmly opposed the restrictions against Iran as they lacked legitimate ground.

"The Iranian side has never said a single word about intending to obtain nuclear weapons. In this respect, of course, all sanctions and restrictions are, in our view, illegal."

The Western camp, led by the United States, alleges that the Iranian nuclear work has deviated towards, what it calls, “military purposes.”

Iran remains the most verified Member State of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear agency, having been subject to the agency’s most comprehensive and frequent verification processes over decades.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei – through a relevant fatwa (religious decree) – has banned pursuance, acquisition, and storage of non-conventional weapons by the Islamic Republic that remains a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

On Thursday, Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani underlined the heaviest IAEA scrutiny of the Islamic Republic as a member state.

“Despite these facts, certain Western countries, particularly the United States, Britain, France, and Germany, have persistently sought to create a false narrative about Iran’s nuclear activities, alleging non-cooperation [with the agency] and military ambitions.”

Under such pretexts, Western countries have executed numerous illegal and unilateral sanctions against Iran that have deprived the nation of direly-needed medical supplies and heavily restricted its exports, including of crude oil.

Adding to his remarks, Peskov said in light of the peaceful nature of Iranian nuclear activities, despite the Western campaign, it was necessary to continue diplomatic efforts to resolve the predicaments created by the Western states.

US seeks to weaponize UN Security Council to step up econ. warfare against Iran: Envoy

UN envoy condemns the US’s latest efforts to manipulate the UN Security Council as part of its ongoing pressure campaign against Iran.

Peskov's remarks came as senior diplomats from Iran, Russia, and China convened in Beijing earlier on Friday to discuss the nuclear issue.

The meeting, chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, was attended by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Kazem Gharibabadi, an Iranian deputy foreign minister.

Peskov noted that the outcome of the Beijing talks would be conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, ensuring Moscow remained fully informed about ongoing diplomatic efforts regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

The Russian official also reiterated that Moscow was exploring "all possible options for a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear dossier."

China, Russia urge end to ‘unlawful sanctions’ on Iran

Chinese and Russian diplomats have called for the lifting of “unlawful sanctions” imposed against Iran, reiterating Tehran’s right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

‘Iran entitled to peaceful energy’

The Kremlin official also underscored Russia’s commitment to supporting Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities, emphasizing that Moscow had been actively assisting Tehran in developing its nuclear energy sector.

"We believe that our Iranian friends have the right to develop a peaceful nuclear energy industry in their country. As you know, Russia is actively involved in this and is assisting our Iranian friends in this regard," he added.

Russia has repeatedly called for the United States to return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Washington abandoned in 2018.

Moscow has also urged the removal of the US sanctions that it re-introduced after leaving the agreement.

Russia has recurrently reminded that the US’s violations of the deal were at the core of the situation concerning Iran’s nuclear program.

Russian officials have consistently rejected recurrent threats by the Western states and their ally Israeli regime of taking military action to target Iran’s nuclear sites based on the unsubstantiated and false allegations.

Earlier this month, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov cautioned against such military aggression, calling such actions “unacceptable” and highlighting the risks of regional escalation and environmental disaster.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir