It was a thinly veiled Russian warning to Iran of waning patience with its failure to allay fears it aims to develop atom bombs in secret, and hinted that Iran could no longer rely on Russia to stop tougher world action against it.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance yesterday, saying sanctions would have no effect and that no more talks on the nuclear dispute were needed with the West. Speaking on state television, he also criticised Russian action.
Governors of the U.N. nuclear agency passed a resolution on Friday censuring Iran for covertly constructing a second enrichment plant near the holy city of Qom, in addition to its IAEA-monitored one at Natanz, and demanding a construction halt.
Tehran said on Sunday it would build 10 more uranium enrichment sites — a pledge that Ahmadinejad said yesterday was “not a bluff”. Iran’s announcement had been in retaliation for the 25-3 vote by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors, which sailed through with unusual Russian and Chinese support.
“If there is a consensus on Iran sanctions, we will not stand aside,” said the Russian diplomatic source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
By referring to “consensus”, Russia could be leaving itself an escape hatch since China has been the most resistant to punitive steps against Iran among the six world powers.
The source made clear Moscow would not move so fast to embrace harsher sanctions as the United States and EU powers, who want to act early next year if Tehran has not begun fulfilling IAEA demands for nuclear restraint and transparency by then.
“We will be thinking about sanctions but this is not an issue of the next few hours or weeks,” he said.
Russia did not want to complicate the situation with threats against Iran.
“We would rather have Iran cooperating more openly and consistently with the IAEA and showing clear steps to lift concerns — which are gaining greater foundation — than introducing sanctions against Iran,” the source said.
In his televised comments, Ahmadinejad dismissed the threat of sanctions and warned any “aggressor” against Iran.
“Sanctions will have no effect. Aggressors will regret their action as soon as they put their finger on the trigger,” he said.
Israel has hinted at the possibility of attacking Iranian facilities if it deems diplomacy at a dead end.
