Russia opposes harsh Iran sanctions

News Europe Lavrov suggested delays in delivering missiles to Iran were connected with regional tensions [AFP] A Russian official has indicated that Moscow could support new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, but not ones as severe as Western countries and Israel are seeking. Oleg Rozhkov, a deputy head of the foreign ministry's security and disarmament department, said on Wednesday that Russia would not support sanctions that would lead to paralysing Iran or its regime. "We are not going to work on sanctions, on measures which should lead to political, economic or financial isolation of that country," said Rozhkov. "Russia isn't working or participating in actions which should lead to overthrowing the existing regime." Rozhkov said that Russia was however co-operating with other world powers over measures purely targeting the nuclear issue. "We are working with the US and others ... only to solve those concerns we have regarding Iranian nuclear efforts," he said. Missile comments Russia has walked a fine line on Iran for years, backing three previous sets of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran, but using its influence to water down tougher US proposals. It also has tried to maintain friendly ties with Iran, a regional power close to Russia's vulnerable southern flank, and is helping to building the country's first nuclear power plant. But Iran's continuing unwillingness to co-operate with the international community over its nuclear programme has led Russia to criticise the stance being held by the Iranian government. Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, suggested on Wednesday that a delay in delivering air-defence missiles to Tehran is connected with concerns about regional tensions there. Russia signed a contract in 2007 to sell S-300 missiles to Iran, a move that would substantially boost the country's defence capacities. When asked about the delivery, Lavrov said that Russia never takes "any actions leading to the destabilisation of this or that region". "All deliveries of Russian weapons abroad follow from the need to strictly respect this principle," he said. It marks the first time that Moscow has publicly called into question the wisdom of honouring its contractual obligations to Iran. Various defence officials had suggested in recent months that they would be fulfilled. Israel fears the sale would tip the regional power balance in favour of Iran. -Al Jazeera-

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