Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Friday Iran may face sanctions over its controversial nuclear program although the issue is not currently being discussed at the UN Security Council.
"The UN Security Council is not working on a resolution on possible sanctions at the moment, but in the wake of the recent developments, we cannot completely rule out the beginning of this work," Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.
The statement is a further indication that Russia, a veto-wielding Security Council member, is joining Western pressure for a new set of sanctions over uranium enrichment activities that can be used in weapons production. Tehran insists it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Thursday Iran may be working now to develop nuclear arms referring to a classified analysis of the Islamic Republic's activities, international media reported.
The report also confirmed that Iran had enriched its first batch of uranium to a higher, 20%, grade.
MOSCOW, February 19 (RIA Novosti)
