- Title: RUSSIA: Moscow running out of patience with Iran
- Date: 10th February 2010
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FEBRUARY 9, 2010) (REUTERS) KREMLIN AT NIGHT RUSSIAN FLAG ON PARLIAMENT BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) KONSTANTIN KOSACHYOV, HEAD OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, SAYING: "Now we see that this process has reached its limit, it's in deadlock. Iran is not responding with its agreement to any initiatives either from Russia or from the international community as a whole. Thus Russia's limit of endurance towards Iran has been reached. This is it." KREMLIN (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) KONSTANTIN KOSACHYOV, HEAD OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, SAYING: "I consider that further toughening of economical sanctions is quite appropriate, but I'm also quite sure that military force has absolutely no perspective." PEDESTRIANS ALONGSIDE KREMLIN WALL (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) KONSTANTIN KOSACHYOV, HEAD OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, SAYING: "No decisions have been made so far and it's hard for me to say when they will be made, but I think that they will follow in the near future." KREMLIN, RUSSIAN HISTORICAL MUSEUM WIDE
- Embargoed: 25th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVAA9IRRV1PJNUGMPHRQUA8TQTXA
- Story Text: Russian foreign affairs lawmaker says Western concerns on Iran's nuclear ambitions are valid and it is time to prepare for economic sanctions.
Russia on Tuesday (February 9) raised serious doubts about Iran's nuclear programme, sending the strongest signal yet that the Kremlin could support further sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Russia has so far steered clear of openly supporting Western calls for more sanctions against Iran, saying Moscow had seen no evidence to back up Western concerns that Tehran was trying to make a nuclear bomb, which Iran denies.
But a barrage of criticism from senior Russian officials on Tuesday indicated Moscow's position has changed after Tehran said it had begun to make higher-grade nuclear fuel.
Russia -- which wields a veto in the United Nations Security Council -- has been deeply disappointed by Tehran's refusal to send uranium abroad for enrichment in Russia, a deal Moscow hoped could allay Western fears.
Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's lower house of parliament, told Reuters Tehran's latest moves have pushed Moscow's patience too far.
"This process has reached its limit, it's in deadlock. Iran is not responding with its agreement to any initiatives either from Russia or from the international community as a whole. Thus Russia's limit of endurance towards Iran has been reached. This is it," he said.
Russia has trade ties worth $3 billion annually with Iran -- just under double its trade turnover with Israel -- and is putting the finishing touches to Iran's long-delayed nuclear power station in Bushehr.
"I consider that further toughening of economical sanctions is quite appropriate, but I'm also quite sure that military force has absolutely no perspective," added Kosachyov, who also said decisions would be made soon. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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