BERLIN, November 8 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned that the militarist rhetoric in the Middle East can lead to a catastrophic war. He made this statement at a joint press conference with German President Christian Wulff.
“As for the bellicose statements that some state - Israel or any other, is ready to use force against Iran or any other country in the Middle East, it is a very dangerous rhetoric,” the Russian head of state warned. “We understand how high are passions in the Middle East, the situation some countries found themselves in - the peace process stalled and there is no development at all,” stated Medvedev. “And now if the militarist tide is raised in these circumstances, threats are issued against somebody, it could trigger a very complex consequences, even a conflict,” the Russian president said.
“So I think that it is necessary to exhale, relax and continue the constructive discussion of all issues on the agenda, and not threaten with the use of strike forces – because all this can result in a major war, and it would be a disaster for the Middle East,” Medvedev stressed.
Medvedev admitted that the Russian side is “concerned over the situation in the Middle East.” “The more so that the series of transformations in the North of Africa affected sentiments in the Middle East,” he said. “And, certainly, we cannot ignore the difficulties existing at the present moment in relations between Israel and Iran,” he added, stressing that Russia as a member of the UN Security Council and participant in various negotiating formats calls on Iran to display a responsible approach and implement the made decisions. “During my recent contacts with the Iranian leadership, including the president, I was repeatedly assured that they are ready to present the related evidence and are ready for interaction with other participants in the negotiations,” the RF president noted. “But, unfortunately, there is no movement in this direction,” he added.
On Monday, Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that potential military strikes at Iran would be a serious mistake that is fraught with unpredictable consequences. Commenting on the Israeli leadership’s statements on a possibility to conduct a military operation against Tehran, Lavrov said, “This would be a very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences.” “The military interference leads only to multiple victims. Any conflict can be solved exclusively on the basis of the principles, which were approved by the international community and the UN Charter,” the Russian minister stressed.
In his view, the only way is to remove concerns (related to Iran’s nuclear problem) in order to create conditions for resuming talks between the Sextet and Iran.” “For more than a year Russia has been putting forth constructive proposals to overcome the deadlock,” Lavrov said, adding, “Our proposals remain in force.” He expressed hope that they would help settle the situation.
“Russia firmly advocates the involvement of Iran in a constructive dialogue with the goal of removing questions and concerns the international community has about the Iranian nuclear program,” the ministry said. “We will adhere to this stand further.” “Hopefully, the other sides concerned will make sure that their actions conform with the settlement interests,” the ministry said.
Iran–Israel relations have shifted from close ties between Israel and Iran during the era of the Pahlavi dynasty to hostility since the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Iran has severed all diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel, and its government does not recognize Israel as a country and refers to its government as the “Zionist regime.” The land is referred to by Iran as “Occupied territories.” Due to recent rhetoric between Iran and Israel, development of nuclear technology, and funding of the groups Hamas and Hezbollah, tensions have risen between the State of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially after the election of the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005.