Iran never played Russian card

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Tehran has never tried to play the “Russia card,” adding that the country’s foreign policy is not developed in the Foreign Ministry.

“Our] foreign policy is not developed in the Foreign Ministry, although the ministry makes suggestions and pursues issues. In reality the foreign ministry executes the foreign policies,”Ahmadinejad said on Friday.

“The change of view that has taken place in the foreign policy must be institutionalized in the Foreign Ministry. The ministry has for years acted in accordance with global equations, now some changes are about to happen,” Mehr News Agency quoted him as saying.

The Iranian president added that revisions should be made to the structure of the Foreign Ministry, its embassies, proposing changes to “diplomatic vocabulary” as well.

Ahmadinejad pointed to Iran-Russia relations and said Tehran and Moscow are two powers that can influence international relations and cooperate with one another.

“We have never done anything against Russia’s interests nor have we ever tried to play the Russian card, as unethical politicians say. In international relations it is expected of them to do the same.”

Ahmadinejad said Iran does not expect Russia to adopt anti-Iran stances and cooperate with the US, adding that he hoped the two countries “could move in the right direction and use one another’s positive potentials.”