CBC : Iran sanctions a 'dead end': Russian minister

Iran sanctions a 'dead end': Russian minister

CBC News | September 1, 2006

Russia's foreign minister on Friday suggested the United Nations Security Council won't be able to agree on sanctions against Iran, saying he favours dialogue instead of ultimatums to resolve the nuclear crisis.

Iran is under threat of sanctions from the council after Thursday's International Atomic Energy Agency report said Tehran has not complied with a UN-imposed deadline to stop enriching uranium.

While Washington favours sanctions, Russia's foreign minister suggested Moscow didn't share that view.

"We take into account the experience of the past and we cannot ally ourselves with ultimatums, which all lead to a dead end," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a speech in Moscow, Reuters reported.

"Yes, there are countries whose policies raise doubts, and cause discontent, but we all live in the same world and we need to … draw them into dialogue, and not isolation and sanctions."

Lavrov made his comments in a speech at Moscow's State Institute for Foreign Affairs, said Reuters.

Also Friday, a top European Union official warned against an early decision to impose sanctions.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the presidency of the EU, said "this is not the time or place" for sanctions.

"We are still, all of us, wanting to engage Iran seriously," said Tuomioja.

In its report to its 35-nation board, the IAEA said Iran had resumed uranium enrichment last week and failed to give access to nuclear inspectors.

Fearing Iran is using the technology to build a nuclear weapon, Washington wants the Security Council to impose economic and political sanctions.

U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday said Iran must face consequences for failing to meet the deadline, while John Bolton, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, said Security Council unanimity was not needed before action could be taken against Iran.

Russia and China, two of the council's five permanent members with veto power, oppose sanctions.

Tehran maintains its nuclear program is for energy purposes and is peaceful.

With files from the Associated Press