MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. Experts raise doubts over Iran and US capacity to prevent a military conflict; Russia sees no EU willingness to engage in dialogue; and Moscow secures another foreign policy victory at the Russia-ASEAN summit. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Media: Experts question Iran, US ability to avert military conflict
The presidents of the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding remotely. According to the document, its signing means, among other things, an end to military operations on all fronts and the lifting of the US naval blockade. Many issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, are expected to be discussed during negotiations on a final agreement, Vedomosti reports.
The viability of the memorandum is hard to assess at this point, Alexey Yurk, a researcher with the Center for Middle East Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, noted. On the one hand, neither party is interested in a full-scale resumption of hostilities because they are unable to achieve their goals through military force. On the other, the document is not legally binding and is also skewed in favor of Iran’s demands.
