In a statement to the press on Oct. 17, Sergei Ryabkov, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, warned Israel about any strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. “We have warned many times and continue to warn, to caution against even hypothetically considering the possibility of a strike on nuclear facilities and nuclear infrastructure.""We have repeatedly warned and continue to warn and caution [Israel] against even hypothetically considering the possibility of an attack on [Iran’s] nuclear facilities and nuclear infrastructure.” He called such a move “a catastrophic development and a complete rejection of the existing postulates in the sphere of nuclear security.”
Ryabkov further replied in response to a media question that “We maintain constant contacts with the Iranian side. They do not depend on fluctuations in the political barometer and the level of tension in the region, which is currently extremely high and causes great concern.…” He continued to stress that “There is an appropriate exchange of assessments and approaches along various lines. I would like to point out that the goal of our efforts, as in any situation where there is a risk of escalation, is to find solutions that would reduce this risk and eventually steer the relevant processes toward a political settlement.”
