Russia says potential Iran strikes threat to regional security
A potential launch of hostilities against Iran would directly affect the security of the whole region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by Novosti-Armenia news agency as saying in Yerevan on Monday.
``If the worst happens and military force is used, security not only of Armenia but also of Azerbaijan will be affected, given that Iran has three times more ethnic Azeris than Azerbaijan,`` the minister said at a press conference.
``It is difficult to predict how they would react to the use of force…but there is no doubt that there would be refugees,`` said Lavrov.
The Russian foreign minister said it is also clear that a significant part of these refugees would be in Russia, given that it has a large Azerbaijani diaspora.
``Security in a regional context and the security in the Arab world will be threatened,`` he said. ``There are so many components that impact is difficult to predict. What is clear is that it would be very, very serious and negative,`` the minister said.
Iran denies Western suspicions that it is enriching uranium with the ultimate goal of developing nuclear weapons, saying the program is for peaceful energy only.
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