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Iran's Defense Minister Postpones Visit to Russia
Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani on Monday decided to postpone his scheduled visit to Moscow on Wednesday apparently to avoid the coincidence with a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Firooz Dolat-abadi, head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's Department for Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, notified the Russian Ambassador to Tehran Alexander Maryasov that Shamkhani's visit had been postponed and the visit may take place in the near future, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Shamkhani was scheduled to leave for Moscow on Wednesday on a four-day official visit to discuss arms and nuclear power deals.
Informed sources believe Iran was trying to foil "Zionists' attempts" to misuse as propaganda the coincidence of Shamkhani's trip with Sharon's visit to Moscow.
Sharon is expected in Moscow later Monday for a four-day visit aimed at getting Moscow's support for the fight against " terrorism."
Iran does not recognize Israel and has called Israel a " cancerous tumor" that needs to be eliminated.
In response to the postponement of Shamkhani's visit, the Russian ambassador reiterated that Tehran-Moscow relations are totally independent which are not affected by any third country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Iran in early 2002 at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami to promote mutual ties, the Russian ambassador said.
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