Russia opposes involvement of U.N. Security Council in Iranian nuclear program

Moscow "does not see any bases for transferring the question, which the IAEA is dealing with actively and productively, to the Security Council," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Britain, Germany and France, negotiating on behalf of the 25-nation European Union, have said they may get involved in drafting the language of a resolution demanding Iran be referred to the Security Council if Tehran does not stop uranium conversion in Isfahan by a meeting of IAEA, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, on Sept. 19.

Security Council member China also opposes bringing Iran before the council and could use its veto power to block any resolution to punish Iran. According to the AP the Russian Foreign Ministry said that IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei's report on the Iranian program, issued last week, "creates a good basis for continuing professional and depoliticized work in the framework of the IAEA on the soonest regulation of this problem."