Sergei Lavrov said the accords achieved by the Iran-6 (the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany), which are mediating Tehran's controversial nuclear program, called for a solution based solely on diplomatic means and excluding the use of force, whereas the UN should support the efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency, not replace it.
"If these principles are followed now, a solution can be agreed to fairly soon," he said, adding that there is a desire among some to punish Iran.
Lavrov said earlier Wednesday that the ongoing international arms race is pushing some countries to acquire nuclear technology.
He said that prospects for disarmament are unfavorable, saying that the arms race continues despite all efforts to stop it.
"This prods certain countries to strengthen their independence by gaining access to asymmetric responses, including nuclear technology," he said in an apparent reference to Iran and North Korea.
He said such a situation creates additional risks.
"We will endeavor to rectify the situation by diplomatic means," he said.
Following Tehran's refusal to halt its uranium enrichment activities or allow random inspections of its program in exchange for a package of incentives, European powers drew up proposals on sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
However, objections from Russia and China, which are key economic partners of Tehran and who considered the previous draft excessively harsh, prompted the formulation of a revised version of the resolution.
Sanctions against Iran proposed by Britain, France and Germany in the previous draft envisaged a ban on sales of missile and nuclear technologies to the country, the freezing of its military bank accounts, and the imposition of visa restrictions on Iranian officials linked to the nuclear industry.
Under the draft, the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran by Russia would not have been banned, but fuel deliveries to the plant would have been restricted.
Lavrov said previously the new draft of the UN Security Council resolution calls for sanctions against Iran, but that it does not affect the $1 billion Bushehr project.
