Russia Responds to Zarif Audio File After Four Days

Russia’s Foreign Ministry responded to the Zarif audio file with an official statement, announcing that Russia considers the “official position of Iran.” The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said her country does not act based on some “reckless or unacceptable statements.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry responded four days after the release of the audio file of Mohammad Javad Zarif and his remarks about Russia’s role in the JCPOA nuclear agreement and the Syria crisis.

Russia has stated that it seeks to expand cooperation with Iran and “considers their actions as the basis, not their words.”

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday, April 29, that the release of the audio file, especially amid ongoing Vienna talks to revive the JCPOA, “only damages the work.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, without referring to the details of Zarif’s statements about Russia’s role in nuclear negotiations, said that Russia bases itself on Tehran’s official position regarding the nuclear agreement and cooperation with Iran. Zakharova further emphasized that Russia fundamentally does not act based on certain “reckless or unacceptable statements.”

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister, in his three-hour audio file released on Sunday, April 25, explicitly stated that the trip of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force to Russia, took place without the oversight of Iran’s Foreign Ministry and “by Russia’s will” and “Russia’s will was to destroy the achievements of Iran’s Foreign Ministry.”

Zarif also said regarding the Russians’ role in the JCPOA negotiations: “The Russians’ goal was to prevent the nuclear agreement from being reached.”