Medvedev: New sanctions on Iran possible if standoff continues

Further sanctions against Iran remain an option if international talks on its nuclear program do not progress, said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in comments released by the Kremlin Saturday.

In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel ahead of his visit Monday to Berlin, Medvedev said Tehran's nuclear ambitions could be realized only within the framework of a peaceful nuclear use program, according to the interview scripts published on the Kremlin website.

He also said Iran must "observe the existing rules and not try to hide these or those facilities."

"If some agreements are reached on programs related to the enrichment of uranium and its peaceful use on Iranian territory, we will be happy to take part in these programs," he added.

However, "if the Iranian leadership assumes a less constructive position, anything is possible in theory," said the president.

"Sanctions are a very complicated and dangerous direction, but if there is no movement forward, nobody can rule out such a scenario," Medvedev said.

The Russian head of state also pledged not to deliver offensive weapons to Tehran, but "only those weapons that are of distinctly defensive character."

Iran has been repeatedly urged to respond to the draft deal brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The draft agreement calls for shipping most of Iran's existing low-grade enriched uranium to Russia and France, where it would be processed into fuel rods with a purity of 20 percent.

The United States, Russia and France have approved the draft deal, but Iran said it wanted amendments and more talks on the issue.

Source:Xinhua