Russia does not rule out sanctions against Iran: Medvedev

Russia does not rule out sanctions against Iran: Medvedev

news.xinhuanet.com

Russia still supports a diplomatic way to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, but the possibility of sanctions against Tehran can not be ruled out, said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Saturday in his address to participants of the conference of the League of Arab States.

"We are convinced that sanction is not an optimal path. But at the same time, such scenario cannot be ruled out," he said.

"We believe that settling of the Iran nuclear problem should be accomplished exclusively by political-diplomatic methods in strict accordance with the UN Charter," Medvedev adde

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Medvedev stressed that any sanctions "must be well-calculated and not target at Iran's civilian population."

The West accuses Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian program, but Iran insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. Russia, which has long said it prefers to resolve the issue through diplomatic means, is showing growing frustration with Iran's refusal to cooperate with the international community.

Good for Russia!

Iran shows no intention of cooperating with any western power or agency, it has done nothing to prove it is not developing nuclear weapons and the missiles to deploy them into any country in Europe or Asia! Iran is totally rogue, and unpredictable.

Finally Russia has caught on!

news.xinhuanet.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I can see Russia growing tired of Iran, but I can also see Russia standing up to the US on Iran sanctions as well. Is Russia sincere about Iran or merely buying time for Iran?

Locking in Russian support for sanctions was a central goal of the Washington’s “reset” with Moscow. But Russia has long resisted measures that would strain its ties with Tehran — a point underscored last week when, during a visit to Moscow by Mrs. Clinton, Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin said that the Bushehr’s first reactor would begin operating this summer.

www.nytimes.com...

Sounds like Russia is trying to stay neutral. They know if they side with Iran, they are going to have to face the US and most of the powers in Europe. If they side with the US, they will probably face covert terrorism. And with the mountainous borders they have, there is no assurance that they could keep their country closed to infiltration by extremists.

reply to post by crazyinthemiddle


I agree,

The Russians are very wisely playing diplomat and keeping their options open.

The war mongers are beating drums and rattling sabers.

D post

[edit on 29-3-2010 by SLAYER69]

reply to post by plumranch


I don't know...

I've been of the opinion that Russia was simply supporting Iran in order to keep the present sanctions on Iran in place and therefore keep Iran from competing with Russia for sales of fuel to the EU.

I think now they realize something has to change.
If there is a regime change or a change in the Iranian Governments attitude then the present sanctions come off and Iran would be free to compete with Russia for their markets abroad.


[edit on 29-3-2010 by SLAYER69]

reply to post by SLAYER69


Very good point I hadn't thought of it quite in that way.. my opinion has been that the great game in the ME is still being played, and the old expression "he who controls the ME controls the world" still seems to hold a lot of water

russia will at the end side with iran.

for now they're playing neutral, co-operate for a while, gain trust, get usa to dump most of its nukes, get nato and usa to share technologies with them... maybe get some invasion plans and positions. then russia is going back to china and iran...

it is a known fact that the russian government never was and never will be a US ally, and thats not because they cant, its because they dont ant to... theres nothing in it for them