Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov’s recent remarks on Iran’s war:

• Iran’s position on nuclear weapons: Ryabkov states that Iran’s new leadership, like its predecessors, remains committed to not possessing nuclear weapons. He says no one is arguing that Iran should have them.
• NPT rights and obligations: He emphasizes that the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) imposes binding obligations on Iran not to develop nuclear weapons — obligations Tehran has never renounced. At the same time, the NPT affirms Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment, under IAEA supervision.
• Inalienable right: Ryabkov insists that this right is inalienable and cannot be reinterpreted by outside powers based on political expediency. Only Iran’s people, through their national interests, can determine how to exercise it.

This statement aligns with Russia’s broader diplomatic stance of supporting Iran’s right to civilian nuclear technology while rejecting any suggestion that Iran seeks nuclear weapons. It also implicitly pushes back against Western criticism of Iran’s enrichment activities.

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