Russia says Iran sanctions should help enhance nonproliferation

MOSCOW, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Any new sanctions against Iran should seek to reinforce the nuclear nonproliferation regime, a Russian deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday.

"The Russian side believes that sanctions, when and if the UN Security Council makes an appropriate decision, should pursue the goal of strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime," Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

"We would deem as inappropriate any other attempts to promote a possible future resolution which would go beyond strengthening nonproliferation," he said.

Ryabkov reiterated Russia's view that any sanctions resolution should keep the door open to a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear problem.

In a separate interview published on Wednesday, Ryabkov said Russia believes sanctions against Iran are necessary under certain circumstances.

"We do not think sanctions will work, but we understand that it is impossible to get by without them in certain circumstances," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the business daily Kommersant.

Iran announced Tuesday it has started the process of producing 20 percent enriched uranium inside the country. In response, U.S. President Barack Obama said his administration would develop "a significant regime of sanctions" targeting Iran.

Iran has been at the center of an international dispute over its nuclear ambitions. The West has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian program. Iran has denied the accusation and says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.