The possible deployment of elements of a NATO missile defense system in Turkey poses no threat to Iran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday at a press conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
"NATO poses no threat to Iran. NATO is not capable of playing any role in future global development," Azerbaijani news agency Trend quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.
"The time when military potential was used to resolve political issues has passed," he added.
Last week Turkish media said Ankara would agree to deploy a missile-defense system if three conditions were accepted. First, the Turkish authorities insist on building a NATO, but not a U.S. missile defense system. Second, the anti-missile shield should protect all the alliance's member states. And third, Ankara would not allow NATO to turn Turkey into the alliance's frontline state as it was during the Cold War.
On Tuesday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said it was currently holding consultations with Turkey over the possible deployment of NATO missile defense system elements.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on November 12 said Ankara would announce its final decision over the deployment in time of the forthcoming NATO summit in Lisbon.
MOSCOW, November 18 (RIA Novosti)
