“What’s Wrong With That Company?” Lavrov Defends Russia’s Alliance With Iran and North Korea

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended Moscow’s close ties with Iran and North Korea after being asked how the two countries had effectively become Russia’s main allies.

During an interview with Russian broadcaster RBC on August 28, the interviewer said Russia now had “two allies—North Korea and Iran” and asked how Moscow had ended up “in such company.” The Russian Foreign Ministry later published a transcript of the exchange.

“What’s wrong with that company?” Lavrov replied. The interviewer then noted that Iran and North Korea had previously been widely regarded as pariah states and had now become Russia’s principal partners.

“They were considered pariahs by those who imagined themselves the winners of the Cold War and proclaimed the ‘end of history’ forever,” Lavrov said.

Russia has significantly expanded political and military cooperation with both countries during its war against Ukraine. North Korea has supplied Moscow with weapons and personnel, while Iran has become a key partner in Russia’s drone and defense cooperation.

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Lavrov did not challenge the interviewer’s characterization of Iran and North Korea as Russia’s two main allies, instead arguing that Moscow saw no problem in its increasingly close relationship with either country.

The remarks come days after Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy called for strikes on Ukrainian cities aimed at demoralizing civilians. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said the comments amounted to public calls for war crimes and argued they warranted scrutiny by the International Criminal Court.

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