Iran's nuclear deal with world powers will not scrap NATO's plan to establish a missile shield over Europe because "the decision to build a missile defense system doesn't have to do with just one or even two countries," the director of NATO's Information Office in Moscow said on Thursday.
"We are talking about 30 countries that either already possess or are close to acquiring the technology of making ballistic missiles that can carry weapons of mass destruction," said Robert Pszel.
"The missile defense project is a decision that NATO's 28 countries have made on the basis of a joint evaluation of threats," he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had claimed that the planned missile defense would in effect be part of NATO's offensive potential.
"We are perfectly aware that the missile defense systems are only defensive in name. In actual fact they are a significant part of the strategic offensive potential," Putin said in an annual message to parliament.
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