Iran has been under international pressure since it resumed uranium enrichment in January 2006, which some Western countries suspect is part of a covert nuclear weapons program. Tehran says it needs nuclear power for energy.
Sergei Lavrov said Russia would like to see the same flexibility in regard to Iran as in regard to North Korea, but "without any risk for nonproliferation."
An agreement was reached at the fifth round of six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program. North Korea agreed to shut down its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon in return for energy, food and other international humanitarian aid. North Korea is to receive one million metric tons of fuel oil after it opens up and disables all its nuclear installations.
In his further remarks on Iran, the Russian minister said Russia would back a UN Security Council resolution on Iran if it helped restart the negotiating process.
In response to Iran's unwillingness to forgo its nuclear ambitions, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Iran last December, which banned uranium enrichment, chemical reprocessing, heavy water-based projects, and the production of nuclear weapons delivery systems. Although foreign ministers of 27 EU countries unanimously supported the resolution during a meeting in Brussels January 22, Russia refused to join them.
"Resolutions and sanctions are not the thing to focus attention on. Efforts should focus on trying to overcome the deadlock and create conditions for resuming the talks," Lavrov said.
Tehran responded to the resolution by saying it would review its cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and barred IAEA experts from inspecting its nuclear facilities January 23. The IAEA is expected to file a new report on Iran's nuclear program February 21.
As another example of the negative effect of sanctions, the Russian minister cited U.S. financial sanctions against North Korea, which led the six-party talks into a deadlock for more than a year and prevented implementation of a document the sides agreed upon in September 2005.
But Lavrov added, "I want to be objective and compliment the efforts the U.S. made, overstepping itself somewhat and reaching a reasonable compromise with Pyongyang. This helped unblock the negotiating process."
The minister said the Iranian nuclear problem is unlikely to be resolved before the IAEA presents its report on Iran.
"I am not sure the way out will be found before the IAEA report to the UN Security Council, but we will do everything possible to try to find it," the minister told journalists.
Lavrov said last week that another session of the Iran-6 mediation group on Tehran's controversial nuclear program could take place before the international nuclear watchdog submits a report to the UN Security Council.
The six negotiators on Iran's nuclear program include Russia, the United States, Britain, France, Germany and China.
