SERGEI LAVROV: IRAN POSES NO THREAT TO EITHER US OR EUROPE

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.03.2010 19:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran currently has no missiles capable of striking
Europe and the US, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on
Wednesday.

"It is evident that Iran currently poses no threat to the US and
European countries… At the moment, Iran has no missiles capable
of striking Europe, let alone the US, and is unlikely to develop
[such missiles] in the foreseeable future," Lavrov said.

Russia can not allow US plans to deploy elements of its missile shield
in Europe to threaten the effectiveness of its nuclear deterrent,
Russian Foreign Minister also stated.

US officials admit that the missile defense system in Europe might
be able to hit Russian inter-continental ballistic missiles by 2020.

"The US administration says its global missile shield program is
not directed against Russia. However, our conclusions on the true
potential of the future missile defense system should be based on
specific military and technical factors, not on words," Lavrov said.

"We will not accept a state of affairs when a missile defense system
poses a threat to Russia’s nuclear deterrence potential," RIA Novosti
cited him as saying.