Putin: Iran sanctions agreed upon

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=129554§ionid=351020104



Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said fresh UN sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program have been "practically agreed upon."

"We have worked a lot and believe that the resolution is practically agreed upon," Putin said at a press conference during an Asian security summit in Turkey.

He, however, added that the sanctions should not be "excessive."

"Our point of view is that these decisions should not put Iran's leadership or the Iranian people in a tricky situation... they should not create barriers in the way of developing Iran's peaceful nuclear energy," the Russian premier said.

Putin also promised that regardless of the sanctions, Iran's long-delayed nuclear power plant in Bushehr will come online in August.

Russia signed an agreement with Iran to build the power station in the southern city 15 years ago. However, Moscow has repeatedly delayed the implementation of the project.

Putin added that he is expected to meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Istanbul, where the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is underway.

The remarks come ahead of a US-pursued Security Council vote to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Tehran.

A longtime trade partner, Russia has traditionally opposed the adoption of fresh sanctions on Iran. But in recent months, the veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council has used double standards in dealing with Tehran's nuclear program.

While welcoming Iran's May 17 tripartite nuclear declaration, the Kremlin has struck deals with Washington to join its sanctions campaign.

The Russian move has been criticized by Iran, which has stressed that it has a right to peaceful nuclear technology as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Under Tehran's nuclear declaration, Iran expressed readiness to swap its low enriched uranium on Turkish soil with fuel for the Tehran research reactor -- a proposal originally outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff.

Western powers reacted to the declaration with skepticism, and once again called on Iran to completely halt its uranium enrichment on order to avoid sanctions.

The declaration has received backing from independent states and international organizations, including the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Iran rejects Western allegations that it is seeking a military nuclear program, arguing that all the IAEA reports have confirmed the non-diversion of nuclear material in Iran.