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Ahmadinejad in Natanz reactor (archive)
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Russian security chief critical of Iranian move

Nikolai Patrushev, Russia's Security Council chief says Islamic Republic's decision to enrich uranium to 20% raises well-founded doubts regarding its intentions; notes patience has limits pointing to Israel which according to him is considering military attack

Iran's decision to enrich uranium to higher levels has raised new doubts about Tehran's nuclear program and is testing the patience of the global community, Russia's security chief said Tuesday.

 

The tough statement from Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev appeared to indicate that Russia was increasingly warming up to the US push for a new set of international sanctions against Iran.

 

"Iran says it doesn't want to have nuclear weapons. But its actions, including its decision to enrich uranium to 20%, have raised doubts among other nations, and these doubts are quite well-founded," Patrushev said in televised remarks.

 

World powers fear the Iranian nuclear program might be a cover for building atomic weapons. Iran says the program is peaceful and aims to generate power for its growing population.

 

The US and France said the Iranian announcement that it would enrich uranium to 20 percent left no choice but to push harder for a fourth set of UN Security Council sanctions to punish Iran's nuclear defiance. Iran said Tuesday it had started enrichment under UN supervision.

 

Patrushev urged Iran to cooperate more actively with the UN nuclear watchdog to assuage international concerns about its enrichment effort. He also warned there are limits to the world's patience regarding Iran's defiance.

 

"What matters is not whether or not sanctions will be imposed," Patrushev said. "What matters is to settle the process. Political and diplomatic methods are important in the settlement, but everything has its limit and there are limits to patience."

 

Edging closer to US

Russia had opposed the US push for new sanctions against Iran, but it has showed signs recently of edging closer to Washington.

 

Patrushev on Tuesday also pointed out that Israel, in particular, has refused to rule out the use of force against Iran.

 

"It's very important to avert a war," he said.

 

Russia has walked a fine line on Iran for years. It is one of the six powers leading efforts to ensure Iran does not develop an atomic bomb. But it also has tried to maintain friendly ties with the Islamic Republic, a regional power close to Russia's vulnerable southern flank.

 

Russia has been building Iran's first nuclear power plant, whose launch has been repeatedly delayed and is now scheduled for some unspecified time this year. 

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.09.10, 15:16
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