Vitaly Churkin, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, voiced optimism Monday towards the adoption of a draft resolution on Iran's nuclear program by the Security Council soon.

Churkin told reporters after a closed meeting with his counterparts from the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany that a deal may be agreed before the end of the year.

"This draft does absorb the Russian philosophy of the direction and content of this resolution," he told reporters. "It is not a punitive kind of text. It is a text looking to a negotiated diplomatic outcome."

The Russian ambassador particularly talked about the alteration of languages in terms of Iran's first light-water reactor which is supported by Russia.

"This is certainly an important development," he noted, referring to the text which drops all references to the nuclear power station.

Earlier Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also welcomed the latest European draft, saying that it contains changes based on Russia's proposals, which take into account the need to push Iran to sit at the negotiating table.

Britain, France and Germany circulated on Friday afternoon to UN Security Council members a revised draft resolution which imposed sanctions on Iran for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

It urges Iran to suspend all enrichment activities as well as all heavy water related projects, and bars Iran from importing or exporting key materials and technology related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but leaves a slot for dual-use items.

Source: Xinhua