Russia ruled out issuing any ultimatum to Iran as ministers from six world powers gathered in London today to discuss US and British proposals for possible sanctions over Tehran's nuclear programme.
The United States, backed by Britain, has suggested it is time to consider a sanctions resolution after four months of talks between Tehran and the European Union failed to yield an Iranian promise to halt atomic work.
But Russia and China, two of the six countries, agree it is "absolutely unacceptable" to threaten force against Iran and talk of ultimatums was counter-productive, a Russian deputy minister was quoted as saying shortly before the meeting began.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was running late for the meeting because of a mechanical problem with her military aircraft and a US State Department official said ministers were unlikely to reach a decision on Friday.
In Washington, another State Department official lowered expectations for the meeting, predicting that at most British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett would say the countries would all move towards sanctions.
"I expect a draft resolution (on sanctions) will be circulated (at the U.N.) in the next week," said the official.
Talk of sanctions is likely to face resistance from Russia and China, which is sending its arms control director Zhang Yan to the meeting in place of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.
"The positions of our two countries coincide that the use of force or the threat to use force is absolutely unacceptable," Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev as saying when asked about Russian and Chinese policy on Iran.
"Talking to them (Tehran) in the language of ultimatums and attempts to force them into a corner are counter-productive," he added.