Russia does not consider Iran a threat and it should not be used to justify plans to deploy missiles in Europe, Russia`s foreign minister told a Wednesday news conference in Tehran.

"We do not see any threat from Iran. Russia`s leaders have said that many times. And we do not see any reason why the issue of an Iranian threat is being used to justify [plans to] deploy missile defense systems in Europe," Sergei Lavrov said.

If the U.S. has any concerns about Iran`s missile capabilities, Lavrov said, they can be removed by using the Gabala radar, proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as an alternative missile defense site at the G8 summit earlier this month.

Lavrov said he had outlined Russia`s proposals on Gabala and its position on the missile shield to Iran`s President Mahmoud Admadinejad and Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
sections: Society