Russia says Iran does not intend to attack Israel with nuclear weapons

TEHRAN,Oct.13(MNA) – Moscow does not believe that Iran intends to attack Israel with nuclear weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a senior Israeli official on Thursday, Haaretz reported. Lavrov made the remarks in Moscow during a meeting with Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, who said that “the friendship between Russia and Iran allows Russia the opportunity and obligation to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.” “Russia may be the only (country) able to stop the Iranian nuclear program, without necessitating sanctions or military moves,” the Knesset speaker added. However, Lavrov dismissed Israel’s suspicions concerning Iran’s nuclear aspirations, saying, “Thus far it has not been proven with certainty that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon,” Ynetnews reported. According to Haaretz, Lavrov added, “Russia believes that Iran doesn’t intend to attack Israel with nuclear weapons, especially when taking into account the makeup of Israel’s population, which includes millions of Arabs and Muslims.”