US actions against Iran have called into question the value of negotiations as a tool. This was said today, March 2, by head of Rossotrudnichestvo Yevgeny Primakov at a roundtable discussion titled "Events in Iran and the Destruction of International Law."

Primakov categorically disagreed with the characterization of the US and Israeli actions as a "preemptive strike." In his assessment, there was nothing "preemptive" about these actions — negotiations were ongoing, the Iranian side was proposing options for moving uranium enrichment outside the country, and non-proliferation guarantees were being discussed. But the talks ended with a military operation against a member state of the international community and the UN.

"This calls into question the very value of negotiations as a tool. If the negotiation process can be interrupted at any moment by military force, then the question arises — what are the guarantors' assurances worth? This inevitably affects other tracks as well, including the Ukrainian one, where the US acts as a mediator," he stated.

Primakov continued that Russia's room for maneuver in this situation is limited. "There is a strategic partnership agreement with Iran, but it does not provide for an automatic military alliance," he said. Nevertheless, Primakov continued, the US supplies Ukraine with weapons, including air defense systems and offensive capabilities. Therefore, from the standpoint of international relations logic, Russia has the right to supply defensive systems to Iran. "Another matter is how feasible this is in practice, given the risks of such supplies being destroyed," he concluded.