MOSCOW (RT) – Russia’s NATO ambassador and the Russian president’s special envoy for missile defense, Dmitry Rogozin, has denied an Iranian newspaper’s claim that Russia, Iran and China will cooperate to build their own missile defense shield.
The Tehran Times newspaper, citing anonymous sources, claimed that Rogozin planned to discuss this topic during his upcoming visit to Tehran. Rogozin rejected the claim.
“The Russian Federation could agree to hold talks on the creation of a missile defense system only with countries that have such potential and such scientific and technological developments,” the Russian official told Interfax. “But we cannot hold such talks with countries that do not have this potential.”
Rogozin then went one step further in his rejection of the Iranian assertion, saying such cooperation requires “allied relations.”
“Furthermore, the creation of a missile defense shield requires the presence of allied relations,” he said. “Iran is our neighbor and partner, but it is not our military ally because it is not a member of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]. That is why I can say that the Russian Federation is not holding such talks with Iran and China.”
SOURCE: Tehran Times
Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance
