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Russia, Iran to continue cooperation despite new sanctions - lawmaker

© RIA Novosti . Anton Denisov / Go to the mediabankKonstantin Kosachev
Konstantin Kosachev - Sputnik International
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New sanctions on Iran will not affect Russia's energy or military cooperation with the Islamic Republic, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Thursday.

New sanctions on Iran will not affect Russia's energy or military cooperation with the Islamic Republic, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Thursday.

The UN Security Council approved on Wednesday a new package of economic sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear program.

Konstantin Kosachev, who heads the foreign affairs committee of the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, said the new sanctions do not prohibit Russia's contract on deliveries of S-300s surface-to-air missile systems to Iran or cooperation in building a nuclear power plant.

"The sanctions...do not affect Russia-Iranian cooperation in the nuclear energy sector, more specifically the building of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr," Kosachev said.

The fourth round of sanctions imposed on Iran includes tougher financial controls and an expanded arms embargo. They also stipulate an asset ban and a travel freeze on more than three dozen companies and individuals.

Twelve members of the council's 15 members voted for the resolution, which was sponsored by the five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia. Turkey and Brazil, two of the Council's current rotating members, voted against the resolution.

Kosachev said the resolution was "a forced but adequate step" by peaceful society in response to the current position of the Iranian authorities.

"Unfortunately, the previous three resolutions were not observed and if the current situation develops as it did before and the new resolution is thrown in a garbage, then the current sanctions will not be the last nor the toughest," he said.

He added it was important for Russia that the new set of sanctions "does not contain measures of a military nature and focuses only on the nuclear aspects of the Iranian program."

International pressure on Iran increased in early February when Tehran announced it had begun enriching uranium to 20% in lieu of an agreement on an exchange that would provide it with fuel for a research reactor.

MOSCOW, June 10 (RIA Novosti)

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