For us, hypothetical extreme situations that could lead to the use of these weapons have been detailed in Russia's military doctrine and the basic principles of the Russian state's nuclear deterrence policy" - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov shared on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 3.
The senior Russian diplomat warned of the possibility of using nuclear weapons in the worst-case scenario: "Frankly speaking, these documents send a message that the invasion of Russia or the territorial integrity of Russia by aggressive forces, including those who may possess nuclear weapons, may cause us to retaliate by using these weapons.
He noted that Russia's opponents need to seriously consider these warnings, and avoid actions that may be seen as challenging Russia's self-defense determination by any means it considers necessary.
In the interview, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister also commented on the Iranian nuclear issue. He said that Russia's proposal to bring enriched uranium out of Iran has not yet been considered, but Russia hopes that the parties will resume discussions on this issue.
Currently, this proposal has not received attention. Let's hope that those who directly participate in the negotiation process will come back to this issue," he said.
Mr. Sergey Ryabkov added that retaliatory attacks are reducing the prospect of soon reaching an agreement on Iran. However, according to him, the parties have built a significant foundation for a solution.
We are witnessing a new round of escalating responses, causing the prospect of reaching an agreement to be delayed. However, many preparations have been completed and can be quickly deployed, especially if the parties constructively approach Russia's initiatives to resolve Iran's high-level enriched uranium issue in a direction that benefits all parties" - Deputy Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.
