Russia is ready to support sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear program if a consensus is reached internationally, said a senior Russian unnamed diplomat Tuesday, amidst growing frustration over the Islamic country's continued stonewalling of international efforts to end its nuclear stand-off with the west.
"If there is a consensus on Iran sanctions, Russia will not remain in isolation," the diplomat was quoted as saying while commenting on Tehran's plans to build 10 new uranium- enrichment facilities.
However, he entered a caveat, saying sanctions were not an immediate concern. He said that in line with his country's position on the issue outlined by President Dmitry Medvedev, Russia would prefer Iranian "open and consistent cooperation" with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog, to allay concerns that Tehran was looking to manufacture nuclear weapons.
"We would rather have Iran cooperating more openly and consistently with the IAEA and showing clear steps to alleviate concerns--which are gaining more ground--than introducing sanctions against Iran," he said.
"That is why we will not add any additional complications to the negotiations with threats of sanctions ... but we are obliged to bear in mind this possibility," the diplomat said.
The apparent change in Russian stance came after Iran's government, in response to last week's IAEA's resolution, instructed the (Iran) Atomic Energy Organization, the country's nuclear organization, Sunday to start building five new plants and identify locations for another five within two months.
The U.N. atomic watchdog passed a resolution Friday by a 25-3 vote censuring Iran for covertly constructing a second enrichment plant near the city of Qom, in addition to its IAEA-monitored one at Natanz, and demanding a halt to its construction.
The U.N. vote in which China and Russia voted with the west is a clear indication that even its most trusted allies are now frustrated over's Iran's continued non-cooperation, leading to its isolation in the global arena.
The vote came after Iran back-tracked from an October U.N.-supported deal that asked Tehran to send most of its stock of low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia and then to France for conversion into fuel for the research reactor in Tehran. Iran said it was agreeable only for a simultaneous exchange of its LEU inside the country for nuclear fuel to be supplied by the West.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance Tuesday, saying sanctions would have no effect on his country, and that no more talks on the nuclear dispute were required to be held with the West. Speaking on state television, he also criticized the Russian vote in the IAEA resolution.
Russia made a mistake by backing the anti-Iran resolution and we believe that "their analysis in this regard was incorrect," he said.
Meanwhile, new IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano told reporters on his first day in office that the situation surrounding the agency on the Iranian nuclear stand-off became stormy with many challenges ahead.
Separately, an IAEA spokeswoman said Iran had not yet informed the U.N. nuclear inspectorate directly of its new enrichment plans and that it would soon seek clarification from Tehran.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.