The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic in Russia: We are neither Russophiles nor Anglophiles
Kazem Jalali, the Iranian Ambassador to Russia, on Sunday, April 20th, highlighted the close relations between the two countries and said, ‘We are neither Russophiles nor Anglophiles, nor supporters of America; we only defend Iran’s national interests.’
He dismissed rumors regarding Russia’s independent role in the Iran-U.S. negotiations and stated that the Russians do not engage in discussions about Iran with the U.S. without coordinating with us.
Jalali also emphasized the importance of operational planning by internal agencies to utilize the potential of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between Iran and Russia, saying that Tehran-Moscow relations are strategic and are not linked to the relationships of the two countries with other governments.
He attributed the rumors about Russia’s bargaining to Western-leaning internal factions and stressed that Iran’s foreign policy is based on the principles of wisdom, dignity, and expediency.