—a far different position from what Russia has taken before.
The comments brushed aside as inconsequential the recent report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) outlining indicators that Iran has been doing much work on nuclear weaponization.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Russia-24 television station Friday, “We have verified data showing that there is no reliable evidence for the existence of a military component [in Iran’s nuclear program].”
Russia has previously criticized the IAEA report as “unprofessional and biased,” but Ryabkov moved a step further to complete repudiation with his remarks.
Previously, Russia has frequently said that there are legitimate questions about Iran’s nuclear research that it is obligated to answer. And Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov long ago said Iran had forfeited its right to enrich uranium by virtue of its secrecy and its failure to respond to the IAEA.
Ryabkov’s latest remarks suggested Russia was now reversing itself. But no one has yet asked a senior Russian official if Lavrov’s previous position on Iran is now inoperative.