Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced opposition on Thursday to Iran’s parliamentary decision to halt cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), despite Tehran’s lawmakers voting in favour of suspending work with the UN nuclear watchdog.
Lavrov emphasised Moscow’s interest in maintaining ongoing collaboration between Iran and the IAEA, citing Iran’s repeated assurances that it has no intention to develop nuclear weapons.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, he said, “We are interested in continuing cooperation between Iran and the IAEA so that everybody respects Iran’s repeated statements that Iran does not have and will not have plans to develop a nuclear weapon.”
The Iranian parliament’s resolution follows a recent 12-day conflict marked by Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. However, the measure still requires approval from Iran’s Guardian Council, which has the authority to vet legislation. Lavrov described the parliamentary decision as “advisory” to Iran’s executive branch.
Although Russia remains a key ally to Tehran and signed a strategic partnership agreement with Iran earlier this year, the deal does not include commitments for mutual military support in the event of external aggression.
Moscow notably refrained from strongly backing Iran after the US airstrikes on its nuclear sites over the weekend.
Iran is the second closest Russian ally in the Middle East to face pressure recently, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria last December.
Experts suggest this could indicate a waning of Russia’s influence in the region, as Moscow reallocates resources and attention towards its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Nikita Smagin, an independent analyst on Russia-Iran relations, remarked, “Russia is potentially losing its status as a superpower, at least as it is perceived in the Middle East. Its allies are being simply knocked out of the game, one after another.”
