Posted on 02/06/2008 5:40:57 PM PST by traumer
Russia thinks the launch of an Iranian rocket into space raises suspicion over the true aim of its nuclear programme, a foreign ministry official has said. "Long-range missiles are one of the components of a [nuclear] weapons system," Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov told Interfax.
Therefore Monday's test launch of Iran's Explorer-1 space rocket was "of course, a cause for concern", he said.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful energy production.
Correspondents say the statement by Mr Losyukov appeared to indicate that Moscow increasingly shares Western concerns about Tehran's nuclear course.
"It increases suspicion of Iran regarding its possible desire to create a nuclear weapon," he was quoted as saying.
Iran said the rocket which was test-fired would be used to launch research satellites.
The US State Department said the launch was "troubling", as it was an example of the same technology behind long-range ballistic missiles.
In the past, Russia has been more sceptical than some Western powers about Iran's missile capability, saying it would take a long time to build long-range missiles.
for peaceful purposes of course...
Well that’s a no-brainer. What I want to know is what is prompting Russia to come out with this?
I’m confused. Isn’t Iran one of Russia’s best customers?
Maybe the Russians should have thought of this before they sold all that nuclear program material to Iran.
Russo-schizophrenia
Maybe the Russians should have thought of this before they sold all that nuclear program material to Iran.
I personally think the Russians are jumping to conclusions. Building nuclear power plants when they have 1/4 of the world’s oil supply is not suspicious. Building intercontinental ballistic missiles is not suspicious. They are probably doing it for peaceful purposes.
” They are probably doing it for peaceful purposes.”
Research. Just research.
Apparently, they just figured out that they’re in range.
I have no idea why Russia is suddenly persecuting poor Iran. They have every right to develop technology that will deliver a peaceful nuke to downtown Moscow.
I don’t.
This is just so much crap. It is transparent propaganda.
Just like their uranium enrichment “for peaceful commercial nuclear power”.
Commercial nuclear fuel is available cheap on the international market. Building your own enrichment facility is hugely expensive and an ecological disaster waiting to happen.
Commercial launch facilities are also plentiful today. With the US, Russia, India, the EU and China all providing launches for hire there is a lot of competition out there driving the price down. Building your own launch vehicles today is not a sound financial decision.
Even Russia can not ignore the signs of Iran’s nuclear ambitions any more.
“Russia suspicious...” Yeah, right. Russia is only trying to buy time for its Axis friends, including Iran.
Isn’t Russia supplying Iran with fuel?
Russian support for Iran is premised on an American attack on Iran that will simultaneously weaken both the US and Iran. If the US does nothing and simply lets Iran get stronger, the eventual consequences for Russia are not good, since Iran getting stronger means Russia is getting weaker, given the pull a stronger Iran will have on Russia’s former Central Asian empire.
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