Russia will back new sanctions against Iran as long as they do not create a humanitarian crisis, French president Nicolas Sarkozy said today after talks with Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.
Mr Medvedev said he still hoped to avoid new punitive measures, but added Russia could not wait forever for cooperation by Tehran, suspected by the West of developing nuclear weapons.
"We are optimists and we are not losing the feeling that we may achieve success," Mr Medvedev said. "Nonetheless, if it doesn't work out ... Russia is ready to consider with our other partners the question of introducing sanctions.
Mr Sarkozy told reporters: "(Medvedev) told me of his receptiveness to the question of sanctions so long as they don't create humanitarian dramas."
Israel, which sees itself directly threatened by any Iranian nuclear breakthrough, voiced optimism that China would not veto any new UN Security Council sanctions, saying Beijing had listened attentively to a visiting Israeli delegation.
Russia, and even more so China, have been reluctant in the past to endorse any broader sanctions against Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons.
A draft fourth Security Council resolution is expected as soon as this week. Some Western diplomats have predicted it would contain a "symbolic" tightening of sanctions against Iranian government assets like the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
That would fall far short of the sanctions Israel wants imposed on Iran's lifeblood oil exports and refined petroleum imports. Those hopes were dented when Washington said last week it opposed sanctions that could hurt the Iranian populace.
The new UN nuclear agency chief defended a report which said Iran could be trying to develop a nuclear missile.
Iran increased disquiet in the IAEA about its behaviour last month by, according to Amano's report, starting enriching uranium to a higher, 20 per cent purity before inspectors could get to the scene and enhance surveillance methods.
Reuters