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U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE IN GULF SIGNALS STRIKE ON IRAN - RUSSIAN LAWMAKER
Mikhail Fomitchev
RIA Novosti
06/04/2012
MOSCOW
A U.S.-backed plan to build a missile defense shield within the Gulf
States may signal preparation for a military strike on Iran, Chairman
of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov said
on Friday.
"The building of a missile defense shield is a political step, which
signals the possibility of a military strike against Iran," he said,
speaking at a round table conference on Iran at the Lower House of
Parliament, the State Duma.
Pushkov's comment comes after the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton on Saturday at the Persian Gulf-U.S. security forum in Riyadh
announced the idea of a missile defense shield in the six Persian
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi sharply criticized the
U.S.-backed missile defense project, saying that it was "against
regional security."
"This missile defense shield is a U.S.-Israeli project and anyone
who gets involved with this project is, in fact, implementing the
U.S. and Israel's plot," the Fars news agency quoted Vahidi as saying.
Washington is seeking to expand its missile defense shield within
the Gulf States. U.S. Patriot missiles are already deployed in Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Russian lawmaker also said that Iran was on the brink of a full-fledged
military conflict, as diplomacy so far has not help diffuse the
situation.
"Unfortunately, the situation [around Iran's nuclear program] is not
moving towards resolution but towards aggravation," Pushkov said,
adding that despite the international political and diplomatic efforts
to solve the Iranian nuclear issue, "the likelihood of a full-fledged
war is very high."
Pushkov called on Iranian officials to take the Western threats
"seriously" by "keeping in mind Iraq's experience."
He also said that bombing Iran's nuclear facilities could trigger a
global war, as the Islamic Republic would definitely respond and its
response may be asymmetrical.
Pushkov reiterated Russia's stance on Iran, saying that Moscow opposed
any military outcome to tackle the Iranian nuclear problem.
"Russia has strongly condemned the so-called military scenario...there
is no reason to say that anything will change in this regards,"
Pushkov said.
The West accuses Iran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program but
Tehran insists it needs nuclear power solely to generate electricity.
Mikhail Fomitchev
RIA Novosti
06/04/2012
MOSCOW
A U.S.-backed plan to build a missile defense shield within the Gulf
States may signal preparation for a military strike on Iran, Chairman
of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov said
on Friday.
"The building of a missile defense shield is a political step, which
signals the possibility of a military strike against Iran," he said,
speaking at a round table conference on Iran at the Lower House of
Parliament, the State Duma.
Pushkov's comment comes after the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton on Saturday at the Persian Gulf-U.S. security forum in Riyadh
announced the idea of a missile defense shield in the six Persian
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi sharply criticized the
U.S.-backed missile defense project, saying that it was "against
regional security."
"This missile defense shield is a U.S.-Israeli project and anyone
who gets involved with this project is, in fact, implementing the
U.S. and Israel's plot," the Fars news agency quoted Vahidi as saying.
Washington is seeking to expand its missile defense shield within
the Gulf States. U.S. Patriot missiles are already deployed in Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Russian lawmaker also said that Iran was on the brink of a full-fledged
military conflict, as diplomacy so far has not help diffuse the
situation.
"Unfortunately, the situation [around Iran's nuclear program] is not
moving towards resolution but towards aggravation," Pushkov said,
adding that despite the international political and diplomatic efforts
to solve the Iranian nuclear issue, "the likelihood of a full-fledged
war is very high."
Pushkov called on Iranian officials to take the Western threats
"seriously" by "keeping in mind Iraq's experience."
He also said that bombing Iran's nuclear facilities could trigger a
global war, as the Islamic Republic would definitely respond and its
response may be asymmetrical.
Pushkov reiterated Russia's stance on Iran, saying that Moscow opposed
any military outcome to tackle the Iranian nuclear problem.
"Russia has strongly condemned the so-called military scenario...there
is no reason to say that anything will change in this regards,"
Pushkov said.
The West accuses Iran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program but
Tehran insists it needs nuclear power solely to generate electricity.