<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/25/world/middleeast/26russia.html> August 25, 2006 Russia Says Iran Sanctions Are Premature By STEVEN LEE MYERS
MOSCOW, Aug. 25 — Russia's defense minister said today that it was premature to consider punitive actions against Iran, including sanctions, despite its refusal to suspend efforts to enrich uranium as the United Nations Security Council demanded.
Although Russia agreed to the Security Council's resolution a month ago, the remarks by the defense minister, Sergei B. Ivanov, made it clear that Russia would not support the step that the United States and Britain have called for: imposing sanctions against Iran or its leaders over its nuclear programs.
Russia has repeatedly expressed opposition to punitive steps, even as President Vladimir V. Putin and others have called on Iran to cooperate with international inspectors and suspend uranium enrichment.
On Friday, however, Mr. Ivanov went further, saying that the issue was not "so urgent" that the Security Council should consider sanctions and expressing doubt that they would work in any case.
"I know of no cases in international practice or the whole of previous experience when sanctions achieved their goals or were efficient," Mr. Ivanov, a close ally of Mr. Putin's who also serves as deputy prime minister, said in televised remarks in the Far East.
Russia's opposition left in doubt the Bush administration's diplomatic efforts to intensify pressure on Iran over nuclear energy programs, which American officials fear disguise an the building of nuclear weapons.
Echoing a statement that was issued by the Foreign Ministry after Iran responded in writing to the Security Council's demands earlier this week, Mr. Ivanov said that Russia would continue "to advocate a political and diplomatic solution to the problem."
Neither he nor other officials, however, have said what Russia would do if Iran refuses to meet the Security Council's demands to suspend its nuclear programs by Aug. 31. On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Mikhail L. Kamynin, said it was important to "grasp nuances" in Iran's lengthy written response and said Russia would continue to use its influence with the Iranians.
Russia has significant economic ties with Iran and is building a nuclear reactor at Bushehr. Underscoring Russia's cooperation in the field, an Iranian delegation has been visiting Russia this week to discuss further joint projects, which officials from both countries have emphasized are civilian ones.
Russia's opposition to sanctions appears to extend beyond purely commercial interests, however. Officials have indicated that they fear that sanctions would lead to a new American-led military conflict in the region, as happened in Iraq.
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