MOSCOW REJECTS U.S. CRITICISM OF IRAN TIES. Foreign Minister
Igor Ivanov said on 13 March that "relations between Russia
and Iran are not directed against third countries," ITAR-TASS
reported. "On the contrary," he said, "they are meant to
stabilize the situation in the region where our countries
cooperate." And he criticized what he said are deliberate
attempts "to cast Iran and Russia in a bad light." Ivanov's
comments came on the second day of Iranian President Mohammad
Khatami's visit to Russia, a visit that has already resulted
in arms and nuclear equipment deals that have been criticized
by the U.S. Department of State. PG
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