Russia will not block Iran sanctions, says source
Updated: Tuesday, December 01, 2009
16:05GMT—11:05AM/EST
Washington, 1 December (WashingtonTV)—Russia will not block new sanctions against Iran if world powers reach a consensus on such a move, a senior Russian diplomatic source said on Tuesday.
“We do not plan to remain in isolation if there is a consensus on sanctions. We will not remain to one side,” the diplomat told reporters in Moscow, according to AFP.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, made clear that Russia would not be so fast to embrace tougher sanctions against Iran as the United States and European powers.
“We will be thinking about sanctions but this is not an issue of the next few hours or weeks,” he said, according to Reuters.
Washington and its European allies have said they would act early next year if Iran does not begin fulfilling United Nations demands for nuclear restraint and nuclear transparency by the end of this year.
On Sunday, Iran announced plans to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants, in retaliation for an International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] resolution demanding a halt to such work.
The Russian source said that the announcement did “not add optimism to talks with Iran,” reports Reuters.
Russia and China, which have close ties with Iran, joined with Western powers in voting in favor of the IAEA resolution on Friday, a move which Tehran condemned.
Sources: Agence France-Presse, Reuters
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