Iran Deal Nullifies Needs for Europe Missile Shield - Russian FM

RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED 11.12.2013

Implementation of a deal on Iran’s nuclear program reached in Geneva this weekend will make the US missile defense system in Europe unnecessary, Russia’s foreign minister said Monday.

“If the agreement on Iran is implemented, the reason named as a necessity to establish a missile defense system in Europe will drop away,” Sergei Lavrov said while speaking at a media forum in Rome.

Iran and six international negotiators struck a deal early Sunday to slow the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Tehran will get some $7 billion in relief from sanctions. The deal also stipulates that international observers will monitor nuclear sites in the country.

NATO and the United States say the US missile defense system in Europe is designed to counter threats from North Korea and Iran. The system has been a sore point in US-Russian relations for years.

Russia and NATO formally agreed to cooperate over the European missile defense system at the 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon, but talks foundered, in part over Russian demands for legal guarantees that the system would not target its strategic nuclear deterrent.

Topics: Russia, Iran

---

Other news:

First Chapter of US-Russian Megatons-to-Megawatts Deal Closes

Russia started delivery of the last batch of low-enriched uranium to the United States under a long-standing program to convert Soviet-made nuclear weapons into fuel.

Russia Starts Building Largest-Ever Nuclear Icebreaker

The yet-unnamed ship, to be powered by two nuclear reactors, will be 14 meters (46 feet) longer and four meters (13 feet) wider than the current largest, the 50 Let Pobedy (50 Years of Victory).

Rosatom Picked to Build $10Bln Jordanian Nuclear Plant – Reports

Rosatom will build the plant in the Amra region, 60 kilometers east of the eastern Zarqa city, said Khaled Toukan.

---

---

---

---

---

Search: