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Khatami Dismisses Warning Against Tehran-Moscow Ties
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has dismissed foreign warnings that Iran-Russia cooperation might pose threat to other nations.
Upon his return Thursday night from four-day official visit to Russia, Khatami said: "Others should try to discipline themselves (to be) consistent with international conventions. We do not want to break those conventions."
He was responding to comments made by the United States on growing cooperation between Iran and Russia.
The US has repeatedly complained to Russia about the transfer of missile and nuclear technologies to Iran. In its recent comment on Russia's offer to sell Iran defensive weapons, the US State Department said that it would be a matter of "great concern" if the two categories of weapons ended up in the hands of Iran.
According to the official IRNA news agency, Khatami told reporters at the airport that Iran and Russia had reached agreements on the legal regime of the strategic Caspian Sea that had been the topic of debate among the five littoral states of Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.
The two sides also agreed to expedite the delayed construction of Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, he added.
They both oppose the presence of foreign forces in the Caspian and laying of oil pipeline via this high sea, Khatami noted, stressing that Tehran-Moscow cooperation does not contravene international conventions.
Khatami was the first Iranian leader to visit Moscow since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
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