Tehran to Continue Defense Coop. With Moscow

Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei said Tehran is willing to continue its defense cooperation with Moscow.

“Iran is interested in continuing its partnership with Russia and developing it, including in spheres that require the consent of the UN Security Council,” Sanaei told Russia’s Argumenty i Fakty newspaper on Saturday, Tasnim News Agency reported.

The ambassador stressed that Iran is not prohibited from purchasing weapons under the terms of the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, as well as the UN Security Council resolution that endorsed the pact.

However, under the resolution, Iran needs to obtain UNSC’s approval for the purchase of some weapons.

The nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 (the US, Russia, France, Britain and China, plus Germany) was concluded in July 2015 and came into force in January last year to impose time-bound constraints on Tehran’s nuclear program in return for relief from international sanctions.