Russia’s foreign minister assures assistance to Iran in de-escalation with Israel
Moscow, Jun 14 (PTI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday condemned Israeli strikes against Iran and expressed Moscow’s readiness to resolve Tehran’s nuclear issue and de-escalation with Israel.
Lavrov's comment came during a telephone call by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a readout.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Araghchi’s call was in continuation of President Vladimir Putin’s phone call on Friday night with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“To continue the June 13 phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Russian side has repeatedly stressed that Moscow condemns Israel’s operation against Iran, carried out in violation of the UN Charter and the norms of international law,” the ministry said.
“The readiness was confirmed to continue facilitating efforts on settling the situation around Iran’s nuclear programme as well as on de-escalating the conflict between Iran and Israel,” the foreign ministry added.
On Friday night, President Putin had phone conversations with Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Kremlin press office said.
“The President of Russia expressed his condolences to the authorities and citizens of Iran over the heavy death toll resulting from Israeli strikes, including among civilians,” it said.
Putin said that "Russia condemned Israel's actions, which had been carried out in violation of the UN Charter and international law".
Russia has been fully supporting efforts to resolve the situation around Iran's nuclear programme peacefully and will continue to promote a de-escalation between Iran and Israel, the Kremlin said.
In his conversation with Netanyahu, Putin emphasised the importance of resuming the negotiations and resolving any issues pertaining to Iran's nuclear programme exclusively via political and diplomatic means.
In addition, the Russian leader expressed willingness to provide mediation so as to prevent further escalation.
Meanwhile, the Russian consumer protection service – Rospotrebnadzor – is constantly monitoring radiation situation in southern Dagestan following the Israeli strike on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, state-run Radio VestiFM reported.
“ Radiation level is normal but samples of gamma particles are collected from the air at regular intervals,” VestiFM said.
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Iran''''s Mexico Embassy says Iran is negotiating with FIFA to move World Cup matches
Mexico City (AP): Iran's Embassy in Mexico on Tuesday said the country is negotiating with FIFA to move Iran's World Cup matches from the U.S. to Mexico after President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending the tournament, citing safety concerns.
It was unclear whether such talks are happening with FIFA, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iranian officials have previously said it is up to FIFA and the U.S. to keep the team safe during the World Cup.
The Embassy posted a statement attributed to Iranian soccer federation president Mehdi Taj saying Iran wants to move its group stage matches to Mexico to ensure the safety of players and officials.
“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” the statement said. “We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”
The World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play against New Zealand on June 16 and Belgium on June 21 in Inglewood, California, before finishing group play in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.
Moving the games would be unprecedented less than three months before the start of the World Cup.
Trump said last week that the Iran team was welcome at the World Cup despite the ongoing war in the Middle East but “I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
Iran has sent mixed signals about its participation in the tournament after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks that killed the Islamic republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of other senior figures.
Sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state TV last week that it was not possible to play "due to the wicked acts they have done against Iran.”
But after Trump's post the national team said on Instagram that “no one can exclude” it from the tournament and a government spokesman in Tehran stressed in it was the responsibility of FIFA and the U.S. as a co-host nation to keep players safe and secure.
“FIFA is the organizer of the World Cup,” Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said. “When warnings are issued at the highest level about the environment being unsafe for Iranian football players, this indicates that the host country apparently lacks the capacity and ability to provide security for such an important sporting event.”
Soccer is followed passionately in Iran, a nation of more than 90 million people which has qualified for seven men's World Cups and each of the past four editions. The team is ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA and behind only Japan from Asia.
FIFA has not commented in recent days beyond an Instagram post by president Gianni Infantino last week that he'd received assurances from Trump that Iran was welcome at the tournament.
