Russia Throws Wrench Into EU’s Iran Plans

A European Union drive to haul Iran before the UN Security Council over its nuclear plans was in jeopardy on Wednesday following stiff opposition from Russia.

The EU has circulated a draft resolution calling on the International Atomic Energy Agency to report Iran’s nuclear program to the Security Council, which could impose sanctions on Tehran. But Russia, which as a veto-wielding member of the council can block any action, warned against antagonizing Iran

“While Iran is cooperating with the IAEA, while it is not enriching uranium and observing a moratorium, while IAEA inspectors are working in the country, it would be counterproductive to report this question to the UN Security Council,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “It will lead to an unnecessary politicizing of the situation. Iran is not violating its obligations and its actions do not threaten the nonproliferation regime,” he said in a speech in San Francisco reported by RIA-Novosti.

At a meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Eight countries on Monday, the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada all tried to convince Russia of the need to take Iran to the Security Council for hiding its nuclear fuel program from the IAEA for 18 years. But Moscow refused to budge, St. Petersburg Times reports.