Russia opposes for Iran U.N. nuclear referral

Russia opposes referring Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Moscow "does not see any bases for transferring the question, which the IAEA is dealing with actively and productively, to the Security Council," the 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, reports the AP.

Russian Foreign Ministry statement came after, the European Union agreed on Thursday to press for Iran to be referred to the United Nations Security Council if the U.N. nuclear watchdog confirms Tehran has resumed suspect nuclear activities.

Referral to the U.N. body could eventually lead to sanctions and would end years of negotiations by the EU to stop Iran from pursuing a nuclear program the West fears is a cover for developing an atomic bomb.

But EU foreign ministers said they would wait for a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran's nuclear program and consult other IAEA board members before taking action and they stopped short of setting a deadline.

"Unless suspension was reinstated there would have to be a response, for example a report of the IAEA's wider concerns about Iran's nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council," said British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw who is chairing a meeting of his EU counterparts in Newport, Wales, informs Reuters.