TEHRAN, November 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia holds a realistic position on the Iran nuclear issue, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said Sunday.

Iran has been at the center of an international dispute this year over its nuclear ambitions. Some countries suspect the Islamic Republic of pursuing a covert weapons program, but Tehran has consistently denied the claims and says it needs nuclear energy for civilian needs.

Hosseini said Russia, compared to the other countries of the Iran-6 (the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany) mediating Tehran's controversial nuclear program, held a softer and more realistic position on Iran and China had a similar view.

Three European states (France, Germany and Britain) proposed last week a new draft UN resolution on Iran, which included measures to ban the sale of missile and nuclear technologies to the country, freeze Tehran's military bank accounts and impose visa restrictions for officials linked to the nuclear industry.

But Russia has proposed amendments to the draft resolution, saying the sanctions should be limited to measures to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, and conditions should be provided for continuing negotiations.