[Iran Press TV Latest] Russia's top diplomat at the upcoming Geneva negotiations of the 'P5+1' group with Iran has warned against using Tehran's recent missile tests as a pretext for imposing further sanctions. Iran successfully tested long range Shahab-3 and Sejil missiles Monday in the third stage of a defense drill meant to bolster the country's defense capabilities.
The optimized Shahab-3 can hit targets at as far as 1,300 to 2,000 kilometers, while the solid-fuel-powered Sejil has an operational range of 2000 to 2500 kilometers.
"When and whether sanctions against Iran will become inevitable is a completely separate issue, one that we are yet to address," The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Interfax News Agency.
"It should be investigated," he said, "And there's no reason to immediately start dealing with the matter at that angle."
Iran and the six major powers -- Russia, China, Britain, France and the US plus Germany, referred to as the P5+1 group -- have agreed on October 1 as the date to hold wide-ranging talks addressing global issues along with Tehran's nuclear program.
Iran faces pressure to halt its nuclear enrichment, as world powers claim its program is aimed at building a nuclear bomb.
Tehran, however, has denied seeking nuclear weapons, arguing that such weapons are against its core religious and national principles as well as practically useless, and has called for the removal of all weapons of mass destruction across the globe.
The Russian diplomat once again called for a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear issue.
"The substance of the Russian position is that now, at this stretch of time, we should pool our resources together and do everything possible in the interests of a diplomatic, political solution to the Iranian nuclear problem," Ryabkov said.
China has also expressed opposition against any non-diplomatic solution to issues concerning the Iranian nuclear program.