In response to Iran's unwillingness to forgo its nuclear ambitions, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1737 last December, which provided for sanctions against Iran banning activities involving uranium enrichment, chemical reprocessing, heavy water-based projects, and the production of nuclear weapons delivery systems.
In an interview with Der Spiegel, Sergei Lavrov said there were ways of resuming negotiations with Iran without endangering the non-proliferation regime.
"We are discussing compromise formulas within the framework of Iran-6 [the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany]. I believe that before the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] presents its latest report to the UN Security Council, we will have an opportunity to return to this format. I hope that all the parties involved are committed to preserving it," he said.
Lavrov said alternatives to negotiations could be disastrous, and that the international community had to face up to the fact.
The IAEA will submit a report on Iran's nuclear program February 23.
Russia, a key economic partner of Iran, has consistently supported the Islamic Republic's right to nuclear power under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and resisted harsh sanctions.
Lavrov said earlier that some of Russia's Iran-6 partners were attempting to take advantage of the situation by seeking to close off channels for "trade and economic relations with Iran in areas that are perfectly legitimate," adding that doing so conflicted with fundamental principles of international law.
"The Security Council must not replace the IAEA, but should help the IAEA facilitate the resolution of these problems," he said.
Iran has been at the center of international concerns since January 2006 over its nuclear program, which some countries, particularly the United States, suspect is geared toward nuclear weapons development.
Tehran has consistently denied the claims, saying it needs nuclear power for civilian purposes.
