Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that a European draft resolution imposing sanctions on Teheran over its nuclear program would isolate Iran, suggesting that Moscow would not support approval of the measure in its current form, Russian news agencies reported. "We cannot support measures that in essence are aimed at isolating Iran from the outside world, including isolating people who are called upon to conduct negotiations on the nuclear program, Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying.
Lavrov also reiterated his claim that the draft resolution, meant to punish Iran for its persistent refusal to halt uranium enrichment activities that have heightened fears it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, goes beyond existing agreements among nations seeking to rein in Teheran's nuclear ambitions. "The draft ... goes far outside the framework of agreements," Interfax quoted him as saying. |