Medvedev: Russia will never sacrifice its relationship with Iran — “strategic partners forever”

The deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has declared that Moscow will never sacrifice its relationship with Iran for any other country, calling the two countries “strategic partners forever”, as Al Jazeera announces in its Iran war liveblog.

“We will never sacrifice our relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, no matter who asks us to. We and Iran are strategic partners and will remain so forever,” Medvedev said, according to reporting by the Iranian outlet Webangah.

Medvedev added that Russia is ready to offer any mediation services that could help resolve the situation in Iran in the long term, stressing that this issue is always discussed with the participation of all partners, whether Arab countries or the Americans. He described the security situation in the region as “very grave”, mainly because of the aggressions of the United States and Israel, and warned that the world will face economic collapse if there is no negotiation: “We must negotiate, not clash swords.”

Medvedev’s statement comes as the U.S.–Iran war enters its eighth month and after statements by U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran is “destroyed” and has almost given up its nuclear programme — a clear signal that Moscow has no intention of leaving Tehran alone in the face of American pressure.