October 31, 2007 - 13:46 AMT
Lavrov: Russia stands for peaceful resolution of Iran's nuclear problem
One-sided trade and economic sanctions against Iran do not contribute to collective efforts for resolution of the nuclear problem, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said upon return from Tehran, after talks with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

During closed-door negotiations, Sergei Lavrov emphasized the necessity of resolving the problem peacefully and called on Iran to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in order to dispel doubts about the true destination of the nuclear program.

"We encouraged the Iranian leadership for further cooperation with the IAEA to clarify the issues and restore trust to Iran's peaceful purpose of atomic energy use," Mr Lavrov said.

Russian stands for a peaceful resolution of the problem, he reiterated.

Last Thursday the U.S. imposed sanctions against Iran's Revolutionary Guard accused of supporting terrorists and circulating weapons of annihilation.

Two weeks ago Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first Kremlin leader to pay a visit to Iran, insisted on diplomatic ways to resolve the international crisis caused by Iran's nuclear file.

Next week representatives of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany will gather in London to discuss the issue, reported the Russian national news agency.