Russia And India Concerned About Sanctions Against Iran

In a joint statement, Russia and India have expressed concern over the intensification of sanctions against Iran, emphasizing that unilateral sanctions “could be highly unconstructive.”

Ria Novosti reports that Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh urged Iran to adhere to United Nations resolutions and extend full cooperation to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The statement was issued after the two leaders met at the Kremelin during Singh’s two-day visit to Russia.

The announcement adds: “While both parties acknowledge Iran’s right to pursue research, production and the peaceful use of nuclear energy under condition of adhering to its international commitments, we also urge Tehran to adhere to the UN resolutions.”

After nuclear talks with Tehran reached an impasse, the IAEA referred Iran’s file to the United Nations in 2007. Since then, the United Nations has issued four resolutions against Iran.

The resolutions prohibit the sale and transfer of atomic, rocket and arms technology to Iran and they impose sanctions on several Iranian banks, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Iranian shipping.

The U.S. and the European Union have also issued several unilateral sanctions against Iran in recent years. Most recently, Britain and the United States have imposed sanctions on Iran’s Central Bank.

Iran has said, however, that it is not willing to retreat from its nuclear program, insisting that it is completely peaceful.

Western countries are concerned that Iran’s nuclear program might have a military dimension, and the IAEA’s latest report stated that it cannot guarantee that Iran’s nuclear program is purely peaceful.