Russia will not put up with NATO Nordic expansion: Ryabkov
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Ryabkov has told reporters that the document for the return of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is at a high level of readiness.
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Ryabkov: Russia will not put up with NATO Nordic expansion
Russia warned the West on Monday not to expect Moscow to simply accept the Nordic expansion of the US-led NATO military alliance to include Sweden and Finland, calling the move a folly that will exacerbate military tensions.
The war has precipitated one of the most significant transformations in Europe's security architecture in decades: hitherto unimaginable movements by Sweden and Finland to join the alliance.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that "they should have no illusions that we will simply put up with it - and nor should Brussels, Washington and other NATO capitals."
Ryabkov said Helsinki and Stockholm's decisions to join the alliance were a mistake.
"The general level of military tension will rise, and predictability in this sphere will decrease. It is a shame that common sense is being sacrificed to some phantom provision about what should be done in this unfolding situation," he said.
Russia has previously stated that there would be a "military-technical response."
Read more: Russia to take measures if Sweden, Finland join NATO: senior diplomat
Document on Iran nuclear agreement at high readiness
Ryabkov told reporters on Monday that the document for the return of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is at a high level of readiness, and the remaining issues are political.
Sources close to the Iranian delegation in the Vienna Talks said on Friday that the Vienna Talks to revive the JCPOA have again picked up the pace.
According to Ryabkov, "Now the document is at a high degree of readiness for adoption. There are some political problems, which are not related to the finalization of the text. Everything that is required in terms of finalizing the document itself can be done literally within a few days," adding that "as it has been repeatedly noted, Russia has worked for the result, and in terms of our interests, including in the context of peaceful nuclear cooperation with Iran, the text is quite satisfactory [for us], in our opinion, there is nothing to ‘fine-tune'."
Ryabkov stated that according to Iranian sources and the signals, including the recent stay of the Deputy Secretary-General Enrique Mora, "I can't say that anything has changed."
