NATO’s eastward expansion means militarization of states on Russia’s borders, and this is tantamount to threats against Russia and other countries, says veteran Iranian diplomat Abu’l-Fazl Zohrevand.
In a telephone interview with Radio Goftogoo’s “Bedoun-e Khatkhordagi” (Not Underlined) programme on the current crisis in Ukraine, he pointed to the second phase of the talks underway between the Russian and Ukrainian representatives, saying that according to the announcement by the Russian side, two months earlier President Vladimir Putin had written to his US counterpart (Joe Biden) on Moscow’s conditions that brought a negative reply from Washington.
Zohrevand said the points raised by the Russian president (in his letter to Biden) pertained to direct impacts on Russia’s national security in view of the fact that even after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia which stretches for 14 thousand km with proximity to Canada in the northeast and to Japan in the east (and to Europe in the west and China and Central Asia in the south) is virtually a continent, and it is natural that such a landmass has its own special requirements.
In view of these facts, he said, for the rulers in Moscow, the safety of the atmosphere of the lands bordering Russia is an existential matter, and thus they always pay special attention to neighbouring states and states which could potentially become NATO members.
Therefore, said the veteran Iranian diplomat, Putin is firmly standing against the eastward expansion of NATO and the militarization of neibhbouring states, since NATO is also viewed as a serious threat to China and Iran.
He noted that the US is stationing of its missile system in Poland with focus on Moscow and other Russian cities, is in addition to such provocative missile systems already stationed in Estonia, Lithuania, and other countries.
This Iranian expert on International Issues referred to NATO’s lobbying over the past few years to include Ukraine among its member states, and said the Russian president had made it clear that non-militarized states, such as Ukraine, should not join any military pact, and on no account the US should place its missile systems near the borders of Russia.
Zohrevand pointed to Western Europe’s traditionally cold relationship with Russia and said the current crisis in Ukraine has worsened the two sides’ diplomatic ties, as is evident by American pressures on Germany to stop extension of the Nordstream 2 gas pipeline, which is a win-win project for both Moscow and Berlin in view of low-priced gas supplies.
