UPDATE 1-Russia ready to accept "smart" sanctions on Iran

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PARIS, March 1 (Reuters) - Russia will consider imposing "smart" sanctions against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail to persuade Tehran to relent over its nuclear programme, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday.

Medvedev was speaking after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy during a three day state visit to Paris.

France is pushing hard for tough new sanctions to punish Tehran over its nuclear ambitions and is battling to build consensus within the United Nations Security Council.

Medvedev said he still hoped to avoid new punitive measures, but added that Russia could not wait forever on Tehran.

"We are optimists and we are not losing the feeling that we may achieve success. Nonetheless, if it doesn't work out, I have said more than once before, Russia is ready to consider with our other partners the question of introducing sanctions," he said.

Sarkozy told reporters that France and Russia had very similar positions over Iran, and linked cooperation over possible sanctions to controversial plans by France to sell helicopter carriers to Moscow.

The propsed sale of Mistral-class carriers to Russia has alarmed Washington and upset some of France's east European allies, but Sarkozy said the West had to trust Russia.

"Can you say in the morning to President Medvedev: 'We trust you. Vote with us in the Security Council, let's work together on the same resolution', and then in the afternoon say 'sorry, we don't trust you so we can't work together," he said.

"Where is coherence of this position? We want to turn the page on the Cold War," he added, confirming that France had entered talks with Russia for the sale of four carriers.

Russia, which does significant trade with Iran, said last week it would not accept "crippling" sanctions against Tehran.

Sarkozy said on Monday that Moscow would back new measures so long as they didn't create a humanitarian crisis.

"On Iran, President Medvedev talks of 'intelligent sanctions'. I would say 'intelligent and efficient'. Our positions are extremely close and it is extremely important." (Reporting by James Mackenzie, Sophie Taylor, Sophie Taylor and Denis Demkin; editing by Crispian Balmer)