Speaking in New Delhi on 17 October, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov denounced the publication in the 16 October \"Sunday Telegraph\" of an article alleging that former members of the Russian military covertly helped Iran obtain technology to build missiles capable of reaching European capitals. According to the newspaper, Russian officers worked as middlemen in transferring the missile technology from North Korea to Iran. Ivanov called this report \"nonsense and ravings,\" and added that \"nobody has ever registered attempts by Russia to violate her international obligations.\" Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow the same day that he is \"bewildered\" by the report. Such reports actually appeared about 10 years ago and the Russian government probes after each allegation found no such violations, Lavrov said. (RIA-Novosti)