Russia to discuss missile shield with Iran, China

Russia has announced plans to pursue talks with Iran and China about a global missile shield. Ria Novosti reports that Russia's representative to NATO, Dmitri Rogozin, will travel to China and Iran in mid-January to discuss the subject.

Rogozin told the members of the Russian Duma: "I would like to inform you that, as dictated by the mission from the president, we will soon travel to China and Iran to examine issues regarding global missile shields in these countries."

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has told his country's armed forces to consider possible measures to counter NATO and U.S. missile shields.

Russia has announced that if the U.S. and NATO insist on continuing their missile shield plans despite Russian opposition, it will aim its missiles at European missile shields.

Russia and NATO have reached an impasse in their talks about missile shields because the West has refused to provide a legal guarantee that its defence shield will not threaten Moscow.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister announced this month that the current state of talks is not "heartening."

Rogozin, the Russian representative to NATO, said previously: "The missile shield is not just a defence system. Analysts both in Russia and other countries fear that a missile shield in Europe with a stated objective of countering Iranian threats will be used to prepare an attack on Iran."

At the same time, Turkey has agreed to U.S. plans to establish a missile shield in its territory, which has drawn fire from Iran.

Iranian Parliament has also announced that the NATO missile shields are a direct threat to Iran's security.

Payvand