Ryabkov: Moscow Supports Iran in Finding Negotiated Solution with U.S.

Tehran - BORNA  - Sergei Ryabkov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, responded to questions regarding Iran-U.S. nuclear talks, Moscow's relations with Washington, the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, and other issues in an interview with "International Affairs."

Regarding the prospects for resuming dialogue between Iran and the United States on the nuclear issue, the senior Russian diplomat stated: "Such a prospect exists, and we support our Iranian colleagues and friends in searching for a negotiated solution."

He continued: "We realize that the European participants in their political and geopolitical battles for influence have reached a point where they have literally turned their backs on it. They are currently the main destructive factor in finding such a solution."

Ryabkov elaborated: "We are no strangers to this issue, as the overall role of the EU bureaucracy and its member states, as well as the UK, which has joined them, is currently sharply negative for the entire system of international relations. No source of ideas and approaches is fraught with more aggressive and destructive energy than modern Brussels and the leading European capitals. This fundamentally affects everything. The Iranian nuclear program is no exception."

The senior Russian official noted: "In Vienna, at the IAEA Board of Governors, this very group of European countries regularly promotes worthless and harmful anti-Iranian resolutions. This hinders the normal course of work, but these individuals are not receptive to logical arguments."

He added that despite the aggressive actions of the U.S. and Israel during the 12-day war, as well as the Europeans' maneuvers in the UN Security Council regarding the snapback mechanism—which he deemed legally insignificant, politically meaningless, and counterproductive—the Iranians have not lost their commitment to a political, negotiated solution.

He further emphasized: "We support them in this. We believe that this path is the only possible one in the current conditions."

Possibility of a Trump-Putin Meeting

In another part of the interview, the senior Russian diplomat responded to a question about a meeting between the leaders of Russia and the U.S., and whether such a summit is likely to take place in the short or medium term. He stated: "I do not rule out any possibilities. The holding of the next contact between the leaders is on the agenda. It is essential to ensure that such a contact is meaningful. We cannot deviate from the framework agreed upon by them in Alaska. We have repeatedly elaborated on the logic behind it at different levels and through various channels. It is important that the search for a way forward continues."

He emphasized: "A meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States will definitely be constructive. We would certainly like to count on the U.S. government to make the necessary efforts to ensure that the conditions for the leaders' contact are right and complete."

Progress in Bilateral Relations

Regarding how issues related to bilateral relations are progressing after the meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents in Alaska, Ryabkov said: "Contacts have not been severed; we work continuously, and we have established formats and channels. Not all of these channels are visible or known, and there is no need to publicly discuss all of them. But the reality is that everything is operational."

He stressed: "Compared to the point from which we started the new era—Donald Trump's entry into the White House—the progress is noticeable, as our leaders had no contact during the last three years of the Biden presidency."

While noting that progress has been made on issues related to bilateral relations, he pointed out: "But we must redouble our efforts."

In response to whether "economic cooperation is still at the same point of freezing," the Deputy Foreign Minister stated: "There is a novel called 'Close to Zero.' Something like that."

U.S. Pretexts in the Caribbean Are Baseless

Regarding the situation in the Caribbean, where U.S. authorities have deployed a large naval and air force, Sergey Ryabkov described it as another crisis: "This is another area that could potentially turn into a flashpoint, and on a completely baseless pretext." He asserted that the fight against drug trafficking should obviously be done through other means, and it is equally clear that Washington's accusations against the Venezuelan President are largely unfounded.

According to him, a closer look at documents related to drug trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean, previously published by the UN and the U.S. State Department, shows that the issue of Venezuela and the drug cartels that the Americans are now widely citing was entirely overlooked. Ryabkov stressed: "This issue is currently being exaggerated to provide a politically acceptable pretext for increasing military strike power in the region."

Solidarity with Venezuela is Unwavering

Expressing concern over what is happening in the Caribbean, he added: "We condemn the escalation of tensions in this region. We have special cooperation with Venezuela and have recently approved a fundamental agreement on strategic partnership and cooperation with this country. We cooperate in all fields, including between our security organizations. This is also not a secret."

He noted: "In this very difficult situation, in this time of test, we, as always, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our Venezuelan allies, and they know this."

The Russian diplomat, responding to whether Russia would assist if the U.S. decided to undertake some kind of armed operation against Venezuela, stated: "In this situation, we can limit ourselves to affirming that our solidarity with Venezuela is unwavering." More importantly, he added: "We urgently and seriously call upon the international community, especially the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, to raise their voice to restrain the Washington administration from further escalation of tensions and ensure that the United States abandons its dangerous and aggressive plans."

Classical Diplomacy Cannot Be Replaced by Force or AI

In the final part of his detailed interview, he answered a question about diplomacy with Ukraine and the U.S.'s true approach in this regard, contrasting its apparent belief that "dialogue between Moscow and Washington is an essential tool" with its actual use of sanctions, border closures, and threats instead of diplomacy.

Ryabkov, in response to whether "it is time to introduce new concepts that more accurately reflect reality? For example, coercive diplomacy, which has virtually prevailed in Western actions?" stated: "This has always been evident in the collective actions of the West, although it has been called by different names. At one time, the term 'gunboat diplomacy' was widely used. We are now witnessing its new version in the Southern Caribbean. In fact, real diplomacy is always in demand, and we cannot work without it. The power factor, especially in the current circumstances, cannot replace the search for solutions developed by politicians and diplomats."

He noted: "Sometimes ensuring national security through agreements is easier, more effective, and cheaper than building military capabilities. Different issues require different solutions. Priorities also differ, but I do not disregard classical diplomacy; it cannot be replaced by force or Artificial Intelligence."

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