Lavrov: US Missile Defense Program Needs to Be Revised
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – If the US continues implementing its missile defense program after the successful Iran nuclear talks, then its motives will be clear to everyone, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the Moscow international security conference on Thursday.
"If the implementation of the global missile defense program continues without being revised, even amid progress at talks on Iran's nuclear program, then the motives for building the missile shield in Europe will be evident for everyone," Lavrov said.
"Now it is already clear: when the adaptive approach towards creating missile shield was announced, they were lying to us," the minister stressed.
Lavrov reminded that US President Barack Obama said that the adaptive approach signaled the US readiness to adapt the plans on missile defense to the real situation at talks on Iran, Tass reported.
"Now significant progress has been reached at these talks," the Russian foreign minister said. "And plans on their 'adaptability' remain the same," he said.
Russian officials have frequently criticized NATO for its missile shield installations across Europe, saying that a so-called threat from Iran is merely a pretext for such a deployment by the Western military alliance.
While Washington claims the Eastern European system is directed against an alleged potential threat from Iran, Moscow says its aim is to encircle Russia.
