Ulyanov made the remarks in response to an X post by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities.
Pompeo had said, “Iran is doing everything it can to reconstitute its nuclear program. We cannot allow this to happen.”
In a post on his X account, Ulyanov wrote that the former US foreign minister appears to be unaware that, under the NPT, Iran has “the inalienable right to maintain national nuclear program provided that it serves exclusively peaceful purposes.”
The Russian diplomat has previously stressed that any negotiations with Tehran must be confined strictly to nuclear-related issues.
Reiterating this position, Ulyanov shared a video of remarks made on Monday by Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, who said, “the defensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are designed to deter aggressors from any thought of attacking Iran and are by no means a matter that can be discussed or bargained over.”
Ulyanov commented, “Right. The talks should be devoted to nuclear issues only.”
He added that any attempt to broaden the scope of talks to include regional security or missile issues would render the entire process unrealistic, likening it to an effort to “hit three birds with one stone.”
