Russia, China want talks not sanctions on Iran

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Russia and China made clear on Tuesday they did not favor UN sanctions to induce Iran to scale back its nuclear program, advocating more negotiations. Their comments revealed a continuing lack of consensus among world powers over whether the UN Security Council should take up Iran's case and what action it should consider.

Germany earlier said Council members remained at odds on the Iranian nuclear issue after talks in London on Monday among the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Washington and its European Union allies say EU-led talks with Iran have failed to quell suspicion that Tehran is seeking a nuclear bomb, despite its denials, and it is time the UN nuclear watchdog agency sent the case to the Security Council.

The Council could eventually decide to impose diplomatic or trade sanctions on Iran, though this would depend on the consent of its five permanent members, including Russia and China. "The question of sanctions against Iran puts the cart before the horse. Sanctions are in no way the best, or the only, way to solve the problem," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. He said years of international sanctions against Iraq had failed to change the behavior of ousted leader Saddam Hussein.

Moscow's $1 billion stake in building Iran's first atomic reactor gives it potential leverage over Tehran. President Vladimir Putin hinted on Monday that Moscow was losing patience with Iran after it resumed nuclear fuel research last week, but he warned against any "abrupt, erroneous steps". He also said after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
in Moscow on Monday that Russia, European countries and the United States had "very close positions" on Iran. Lavrov told a news briefing that Russia's offer to enrich uranium for Iran remained on the table. Tehran has sent mixed signals on the idea, which has tentative EU and U.S. support.

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