Russia could support UN discussion on sanctions against Iran: FM

If Iran fails to respond to the demand of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Russia would be prepared to discuss possible sanctions at the U.N. Security Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

If the first resolution urging Iran to respond to the IAEA demand failed to work, Russia would have to agree to the discussion of additional measures, including possible economic sanctions, Lavrov said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) radio station on Wednesday.

The minister also said that Iran should carefully consider all the benefits which Russia's call for its quick response would bring with it.

The U.N. Security Council could be forced to refer Iran for possible sanctions since Tehran had failed to give an answer to the offer, said Lavrov.

On June 6, the EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, presented Iran with a package of proposals agreed on by Germany, Britain, the United States, France, Russia and China, which included both incentives aimed at persuading Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment, and possible sanctions if it did not comply.

Western countries had pressed Tehran to respond to the package before July 15, but Iran said that it would not respond before August 22.

Source: Xinhua