Russia resists Iran sanctions move

THREATENING Iran with more sanctions would be counterproductive, Russia’s foreign minister declared yesterday, resisting efforts by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to win agreement for tougher measures if Iran fails to prove its nuclear programme is peaceful.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke as Clinton visited Moscow, her first trip since becoming America’s top diplomat, in an effort to gauge Moscow’s willingness to join the US in imposing sanctions.

Lavrov said Russia’s position is that under present conditions even the threat of sanctions against Iran would be counterproductive.