VIENNA, March 2. /TASS/. Russia will continue coordinating steps with Iran and China within the IAEA, if necessary, to settle the conflict, Russian Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said.
"If necessary, together with the Chinese and Iranians we will think about potential further steps," he told reporters after the special meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors that was initiated by Russia after the United States and Israeli strikes on Iran when asked whether any joint steps with the Iranian and Chinese sides are planned with an aim of settling the conflict.
"We held a special meeting only today. The idea was suggested by the Iranians, but they cannot call such a meeting because they are not on the Board of Governors. That is why we provided them with a friendly service by sending a note to the IAEA Secretariat requesting a meeting. It lasted for three hours this morning. The alternative option was to consider the Iranian issue during a regular session, which had long been scheduled for this week," he explained. "But we thought it would be wrong to discuss the large-scale aggression against Iran along with routine agenda items. The decision to hold a special meeting was fully justified."