British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said here Wednesday that the European Union (EU) does not want to see Iran's nuclear case referred to the UN Security Council.

Straw said the EU would like to see Iran cooperate so that there would be no need to refer it to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

"We do not wish to see Iran referred to the Security Council," Straw said. "I hope that the Iranian government understands what is expected of it."

Senior EU diplomats met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday to discuss international issues including Iran's nuclear program.

Lavrov hosted Straw, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, EU External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, and Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik.

Lavrov said Russia and the EU have no serious disagreements on Iran's dossier.

Ferrero-Waldner, on her part, urged Russia to form a united front on Iran's nuclear problem.

Both the EU and Russia are obliged to avoid the emergence of a new nuclear great power, she said, noting it is important to form a united front on Iran's problem, as sometimes the sides have different positions.

There are no doubts that the development of Iran's nuclear potential is unacceptable, Ferrero-Waldner stressed.

She pointed out that this goal should be achieved by diplomatic means if Iran agrees to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency resolution on nuclear energy.

Straw described the Russia-EU dialogue as constructive.

"We have much in common," he said.

Lavrov noted that Russia and the EU are improving partnership in different fields and Moscow wants the Russia-EU dialogue to help solve the existing problems.

Iran has insisted that it has right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purpose.

Source: Xinhua