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Russia to US: No Unilateral Sanctions Against Iran

   VOA News 13 May 2010
   Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

Photo: AP

   Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (file photo)

   Russia's  foreign minister is warning the United States against trying
   to impose unilateral sanctions against Iran.
   Sergei  Lavrov said Thursday that the U.S. does not seem to understand
   that  countries  facing  sanctions  from  the  United Nations Security
   Council  should  not  face additional, unilateral sanctions "under any
   circumstances."
   Despite  the  differences,  Lavrov said Russia's relationship with the
   U.S. is improving.
   The  U.S.,  Russia  and  other  Security  Council  members  have  been
   discussing  a  fourth  round of sanctions against Iran for its nuclear
   activities.
   Earlier  this  week,  European  Union  foreign  policy chief Catherine
   Ashton said the Security Council resolution could be ready in the next
   month and a half.
   The  U.S.  and  its  allies accuse Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons,
   although Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes.
   On  Wednesday,  Iranian  President  Mahmoud  Ahmadinejad  called  U.N.
   Security Council resolutions "worthless" and said Tehran will not back
   down from pursuing its nuclear program.
   Speaking  Wednesday  to a crowd in the southern Iranian city of Yasuj,
   Mr. Ahmadinejad dismissed U.S. efforts to impose new sanctions on Iran
   and said U.N. resolutions are "not worth a penny."

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.