Iran urges political dialogue to resolve Russia-Ukraine crisis

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman called for urgent dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to settle the crisis, describing peaceful manners and political negotiations as the one lasting solution to regional problems.

According to Tasnim news agency, in comments at a presser on Monday, Saeed Khatibzadeh welcomed the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine following days of military conflict, saying, “We have favored and recommended such a dialogue since the first day. Urgent negotiations to end the clashes should have been and must be put on the agenda as far as possible.”

Describing peaceful approaches and political dialogue as the lasting solution to the problems that have existed in the regions near Russia and Ukraine for decades, the spokesman said Tehran tries to encourage all parties to participate in meaningful negotiations for the resolution of problems.

Asked about Iran’s stances on Russia, which has launched a military operation in Ukraine since Thursday, Khatibzadeh said the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation are “multilayered, multidimensional, and totally natural originating from good neighborliness, natural demands of the two sides, and political will of the two capitals to promote the relations to premium ties.”

He said Iran has tried during years of the so-called crippling American sanctions and maximum pressure policy to define its relations relative to the third factors and the external sanctions.

Iran’s normal relations with the friendly nations will be promoted irrespective of pressures from the third parties, he said of Tehran-Moscow ties.

In a televised speech early on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” aimed at “demilitarization” of the Donetsk and Lugansk Republics in eastern Ukraine, collectively known as Donbass.

The two regions broke away from Ukraine in 2014 after refusing to recognize a Western-backed Ukrainian government that had overthrown a democratically-elected administration.

Announcing the operation, Putin said the mission was aimed at “defending people who for eight years are suffering persecution and genocide by the Kiev regime.”

ME