A senior Russian diplomat warned the West on Wednesday against trying to paralyze Iran by targeting the Islamic Republic's energy and banking sectors with crippling sanctions.
Oleg Rozhkov, deputy director of the Foreign Ministry's security affairs and disarmament department, said Moscow would only consider sanctions aimed at strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime.
"Call them what you want — crippling or paralyzing — we are not going to work on sanctions or measures that could lead to the political or economic or financial isolation of this country," Rozhkov told reporters.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia would not deliver S-300 missile systems that it has agreed to sell Iran if such a sale would destabilize the region.
(Reuters)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.