Russian Foreign Ministry on Iran, Navalny, Nord Stream 2, and Assange

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) discussed Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif's meeting with Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, saying:

Key topics on their agenda included affirming support for the landmark JCPOA nuclear deal, along with what's going on in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Both officials affirmed support for key bilateral energy, trade, transportation, and defense projects.

"Russia-Iran relations are based on long-term traditions of neighborliness and mutual respect," said MZ, adding:

"The countries hold close or common stances on many international issues."

On Navalny, MZ minced no words saying the following:

"We are all witnessing how the West, Western leaders, officials, integration institutions and associations led by the respective Western states have launched a massive misinformation campaign concerning the situation with a Russian citizen, Alexey Navalny," adding:

No evidence or motive suggests Russian responsibility for his illness.

Clearly it wasn't from novichok nerve agent exposure that's lethal in minutes, Navalny very much alive and discharged from Berlin's Charite hospital.

MZ called anti-Russia rhetoric and false accusations by Western officials unacceptable.

"There is no and can't be any evidence to support Russia's involvement, no 'Russian trace,' as they put it, in what has happened," she said. 

"We have to state with regret that it is not the first time the US (and other Western) 'diplomacy' built its position on unconfirmed rumors."

The US-dominated West "deliberately aggravated relations with Russia, preferring a policy of escalating system-wide confrontation to constructive partnership."

Pompeo and other Trump regime hardliners are pressuring Germany to halt Nord Stream 2.

Angela Merkel's government continues to stonewall official requests by Moscow's "Prosecutor General's Office to provide practical support to the Russian law enforcement agencies in their pre-investigation inquiry into the facts concerning Alexey Navalny's emergency hospitalization in Omsk," MZ explained.

"Berlin has still not provided any biological samples from Alexey Navalny or the results of their tests."

It provided no information on Navalny's treatment in Berlin, no help "in organizing a meeting between investigators from the Russian Interior Ministry and Navalny."

"All of the above evidence is crucial" for Russia to investigate and determine what caused his illness.

MZ stressed that Moscow strongly denies false accusations, unacceptably blaming the Kremlin for what happened to him.

Key to completing its "investigation lies with the German authorities."

Failing to cooperate fully with Russia on this issue is clear evidence of coverup in cahoots with the Trump regime.

MZ slammed Pompeo's remarks on Nord Stream 2, wanting the project undermined to benefit US LNG producers, harming Russia economically at the same time.

MZ: "We denounce (diabolical actions by Pompeo and likeminded Trump regime extremists) against a pipeline in which German and other companies have already invested billions of dollars." 

"By investment we mean not only big capital, transnationals, business flagships and industrial giants, but also the investments based on the daily labor of millions of people from different countries."

MZ stressed that Russia is determined to remain a reliable supplier of energy to European and other nations.

Over the years, its reliability stood the test of time.

Commenting on Julian Assange's guilt by accusation extradition show trial, MZ slammed his unacceptable persecution by the US and UK.

Assange is unlawfully targeted for the "crime" of investigative journalism the way it's supposed to be — for exposing US high crimes of war and against humanity in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Phony charges against him are politicized and extrajudicial, proceedings against him rigged, judicial fairness denied.

MZ: Assange, innocent of phony charges against him, has been held in "maximum security (imprisonment) for 16 months."

"(D)octors are alarmed (about) his extremely weak physical and mental health, undermined by years of living in isolation at" Ecuador's London embassy.

"We have repeatedly stated our position regarding human rights and ethical aspects of this case which is turning into an open farce." 

"Assange is being subjected to (politicized persecution) with elements of torture and efforts to exhaust him." 

"They are accusing (him for) publish(ing) authentic information" that everyone everywhere has a right to know.

What's happening goes way beyond him.

Truth-telling journalism the way it's supposed to be is on trial, notably on sensitive issues.

The US, Britain, and likely other Western countries want it criminalized.

They want no information about their war on humanity made public.

They want unobstructed freedom to rape and pillage targeted nations with impunity.

They want state-sponsored censorship to replace media freedom.

They want truth-tellers like Assange brutalized and otherwise punished — a message to others like him of the fate awaiting them if reveal what dark forces in their countries want suppressed.

MZ called on international agencies, human rights organizations, and members of the fourth estate to save Assange's life by demanding his release.

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